News
Student reps provide forum in Samoa
"The weekly meetings of the Student Representative groups, in operation on the APTC Samoa campus for more than a year, are an excellent forum for student suggestions, and communication between the College Management and the student body, said Ms Francis Howes, Country Coordinator for the College's School of Automotive, Construction and Electrical, and Manufacturing (ACEM) in Samoa.
Francis said she has great respect for the Student Reps who voluntarily commit to this role, when during the first week of arrival they are elected by their fellow students. She explained that the students are encouraged to elect representatives from both local and international students who are mature, respected, and who provide cross-cultural and cross gender representation.
"These meetings with the Student Reps and Student Coordinator Muta Isara are a joy," said Francis. " The Student Reps have a sense of pride and responsibility, and are reliable in attendance and follow-up. The Reps keep minutes on all meetings and report on outcomes. They often bring lateral thinking to solving any problems."
Francis explained that the Student Reps were also called upon to speak at events or to act as guides to visiting dignitaries. "The short time-frame for ACEM study blocks means there is a continual turnover of Student Representatives, but the system works well."
Student Representative, for Certificate III Plumbing, Yarawi Duri from Papua New Guinea commented, "Being a student representative is an honour for me to represent my class which is mostly Fijian, with only two of us from PNG. It is not just a challenge for me to represent students from the two Melanesian countries with different languages and cultural backgrounds, but it has taught me a lot of things in life in regards to understanding cultures and individual behaviour of each student, raising student issues with the management, taking feedback from management to students, and by doing so I also earn a respect back from the student body, and I acknowledge that. "
Francis concluded by saying she presents each Student Representative with a letter of thanks at their group farewell. "The letter is designed to be a part of the Student Reps' CVs, and I also send a copy to their employers, so there is public recognition of all the work they do."
The Student Representatives at the APTC Samoa campus:
front, from left, Muta Isara (Student Coordinator ACEM); Yowari Duri
(PNG Plumbing); Gary Roland (Nauru - Metal Fabrication) and
Liku Paea (Tonga - Metal Fabrication).
Back, from left, Gabrieli Makutu (Fiji - Refrigeration & Air Conditioning);
Sekove Bureicegu (Fiji - Metal Fabrication);
Anjeesh Chandra (Fiji - Refrigeration & Air Conditioning) and
Nemani Raibasa (Fiji- Metal Fabrication).
Absent: Leia Faiumu (Samoa - Fitting & Machining)