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Ever wondered who were the first ever Papua New Guineans to have degrees conferred upon them at the Papua New Guinea Institute of Technology?
With a little digging around through old articles, we’ve finally answered this rather interesting and historical curiosity.
The first three students to be conferred degrees upon them are: John Kavagu, Gavera Morea and Thomas Tohiana.
All three graduated with a Bachelors of Engineering and were awarded their degrees in a ceremony on 10 March 1972. The three men became the first locally-trained civil engineers.
Morea, the eldest of the three at 28, is from Hanuabada here in Port Moresby. He attended Sogeri Senior High and was sponsored by the PNG Electricity Commission. Interestingly, he also did correspondence course with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Kavagu, then aged 24, is from Karaneap Village in Wewak. Tohiana, 23, is from Ketskets village, Bougainville.
Both Kavagu and Tohiana attended Kerevat High School in 1966 when both received scholarship from Bougainville Copper to attend the Institute.
During the graduation, 9 other students received diplomas in accountancy, business studies and surveying. Their names are as follows:
Diploma in Accountancy
Joseph Mautu
JackOckley
Toua Kohu Vai
Dani Yappo
Diploma in Business Studies
Moyap Ato
Peter Kimus
Diploma in Surveying
Francis Kalpe
Jerome Sipuman
Bill Talan
