Court victory buoys UPNG students

10:16 am on 28 May 2016
Papua New Guinea university students.

Papua New Guinea university students. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades

Protesting students at the University of Papua New Guinea say the National Court's decision to block their eviction from the campus has strengthened their resolve.

About 5,000 students have been boycotting classes for a month, while demanding that the PNG Prime Minister steps down to face corruption allegations.

The University suspended the first semester and planned to evict the students, but the court has defered those actions until a hearing next Wednesday.

One of the student leaders, Gerald Turumanu-Peni, said the fear of eviction only caused a few students to leave their dormitories.

"Not many because many of us felt that it is not in line with our tenancy agreement forms that we signed at he beginning of the year. That's why a large majority of us remain back on the campous. It's a plus for us it's a huge bonus for us, it's given hope to the students to carry on what we have started."

Gerald Turumanu-Peni said students were promoting their agenda nationally through awareness campaigns.

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