Port Moresby, PNG, 25 November 2016 -- A total of 250 students successfully graduated from their Bachelor and Diploma programs at Don Bosco Technological Institute, East Boroko on November 25, 2016. Witnessing the momentous event were representatives from the education, industry, media and religious sectors together with the staff, students’ families, friends and relatives.
The Keynote Speaker, Honorable Francis Marus, Minister, Department of Higher Education Research Science & Technology (DHERST) congratulated the 47 graduates of the Bachelor’s program and 203 graduates of the Diploma program. He said “DBTI has come a long way in providing technical education for nation building in Papua New Guinea.” He also conferred the certificate of institutional registration to DBTI as a registered higher education institution in Papua New Guinea for a period of three years (2016-2019).
Fr. Peter Baquero, SDB, President of DBTI and Provincial Superior of Blessed Rinaldi Vice-Province addressed the graduates. “Live a Christian life and help Christianize the country,” he said. He commended the great contributions of Fr. Valeriano Barbero, SDB, a Salesian pioneer, as DBTI receives a new tertiary status and reaches another milestone in providing technical education in PNG together with Dr. Catherine Nongkas, Dr. Br. Alfred Tivinarlik, Fr. Louie Castañeda,SDB, Fr. Ariel Macatangay, SDB and Fr. Clifford Morais, SDB. He expressed his gratitude to Divine Word University for its assistance all throughout DBTI’s 12 years of affiliation with DWU. Prof. Cecilia Nembou, PhD, DWU President congratulated the graduates and DBTI. Tokens of appreciation were given as a sign of deep appreciation to DWU.
Francis Ngihal, BEd-Electronics/Maths, SRC President and the recipient of St. John Bosco Model Bosconian award and St. Dominic Savio Service award, addressed the crowd on behalf of the graduating students. He said, “We the graduating students of this batch 2016 have done our best for the past two and four years here in Don Bosco Technological Institute. We did not come here only to study our selected courses but we were also taught how to live in the Bosconian family spirit. We will make a difference in the lives of other people through our knowledge, skills, love and mercy towards others.”
On Thursday, the graduating batch held a Thanksgiving Mass with Fr. Louie Castañeda, SDB as the main celebrant and with Fr. Clifford Morais, SDB and Fr. Pankaj Xalxo, SDB as concelebrants. Fr. Louie encouraged the students to “stay connected with Jesus and remain in His love”.
