05/05/2011

A National Development Bank officer (right) exchanging information about the services of NDB with a DWU student in traditional attire at the Open Day last Sunday 1st May, 2011.		The importance of a free media being demonstrated by the ‘Radio Diwai’ mascot and another student at the Environmental Health booth during the Open Day.

The Divine Word University annual Open Day in Madang held last Sunday 1st May, 2011, was once again a successful occasion of learning and sharing the knowledge and expertise that is there on the campus.

Hundreds of people from the Madang community and beyond passed through the displays and stalls set up the university’s faculties and their departments and partners from the public and private sectors.

Students were at their best in sharing information and explaining what was on display and being demonstrated at their booths.

People received their day’s worth of information and learnt about various subjects such as personal hygiene, pest control, media and freedom and so on.

Different products from business partners were also on display.

For example, many visitors to the Environmental booth were surprised there was an anti-termite product called “Terminator.

The “Terminator” is used to lure and kill termites that destroy wood in buildings.

It is a product invented in Australia and is now being sourced by the PNG distributor, Multi-Pest Control Ltd, via a Singaporean supplier.

According to Multi Pest Control, termite destruction of buildings is a major problem in the country at the present time and this national concern has been widely reported in the media recently.

The safety of buildings against the termite onslaught flies in the face of the extractive industry-led economic boom that has enabled spin off benefits such as the building boom where increasing numbers of ordinary people are able to build houses.

People who were at the annual Open Day learnt about the “Terminator” and various products and methods of preventing or curtailing termite destruction of timber in houses.

The visitors to the Open Day themed “Matching Higher Education to the Labour Market” learnt about the product (Terminator) that can save a building and thousands of kina when it used as bait that lures and kills the termite before they enter a house and access the timber.

Multi Pest Control was at the occassion as a guest of the Faculty of Health Sciences through its Environmental Health Department.

The information on Terminator and the various methods of controlling termites was among a range information on various aspects of like made available by the private and public sector partners of the Faculties of the University.

These partners were invited by the faculties and their departments to assist with the showcasing and dissemination of information relating to academic programs and related activities and their relevance or applicability in real life.

Key government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) presented information about the importance of taxation in a modern economy such as that of Papua New Guinea.

Major banks such as Bank South Pacific, ANZ and National Development Bank (NDB) were also present and interacted with the public.

The banks shared useful information about their products and services for different category of customers. The banks were in full force with their respective managers and manageress and other staff.

The IRC and the banks were guests of the Faculty of Business and Informatics.

The health sector was well represented with various government and non-government partners teaming up with the Faculty of Health Sciences and its departments to share vital information about health and healthy living and the relevance of the academic programs.

Information areas in health such as immunisation, nutrition, child health, water and sanitation, preventive health, the effects of alcohol and drugs, HIV/AIDS and disability and physiotherapy were well covered by the students and their partners from the various external organizations.

Governance and democracy, international relations, social and community development and empowerment, religion and the importance of a free and vibrant media were also highlighted by the Faculty of Arts through its departments and their partners.

The importance of tourism and hospitality, information and communication technology (ICT), computers and its uses in mathematics were also highlighted by the departments concerned with the Faculty of Business and Informatics with their partners.

Teachers and people intending to be teachers or educators also had an opportunity to interact with the Faculty of Education and its partners.

For the older folks and or the working class, the Faculty of Flexible Learning (FFL) and its partners were out in their best to remind people of the study opportunities DWU offers adult learnt.

The FFL and its partners ensured people were aware of that education does not end with a first degree or qualification that lands a job but can be pursued through the Flexible Learning mode in areas such as management, human resource management, project management, business studies and so on.

The Open Day indeed was a time for the uninformed and less informed to be made aware of the educational opportunities and the information to improve life that is out there in the universities and various government and private sector organizations.

Environmental health students and the representative of Multi Pest Control promoting the “Terminator” termite bait during the Open Day.	The 20 provincial flags flying high at the Open Day display of the Department of PNG Studies.

It was also a day that enabled people to make contact to seek further information and advise in the case of banks, IRC and the health sector and the various service providers and even manufacturers.

All in all, DWU through yet another successful Open Day played its part in interacting with the wider community and share knowledge and skills.