30 Mar 2017

Papua government encouraged by progress of students in NZ

9:44 am on 30 March 2017

A team from the Papua provincial government in Indonesia is currently in New Zealand checking the progress of dozens of Papuan students studying there.

There are approximately 80 Papuan students in the cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Nelson and Palmerston North.

They are an assortment of students at colleges, universities and technical institutions.

One of the visiting team is Dina Ayonda, the executive assistant for Papua's Governor Lukas Enembe.

The Papua Governor's EA, Dina Ayonda

The Papua Governor's EA, Dina Ayonda Photo: linkedin

She said it had been amazing to see how much the students were growing in New Zealand.

"These two girls in Nelson Aviation College, they are the two top-notch students at the college," Ms Ayonda said.

"And you know, everyone praises them for how they do: in their classes, the theory, the flying, everything.

"They [the college] said they work so hard, they try to maintain their achievements, and then they do well. In High Schools as well."

The provincial government saw the New Zealand placements as an opportunity for Papua province to boost the quality of its education.

"Because we're struggling with the quality of our education system back home," Ms Ayonda said.

"So this way we can boost the quality of our people by sending them overseas. And then they come back to Papua and start helping us in developing the province."

The placements are arranged between the Papua Government and the individual New Zealand educational institutions.

While in New Zealand, the Papua government team is also researching a new documentary about the students' overseas training experience.