In this article, PNG Insight discusses the key points about the 2024 PNG Universities and Colleges Acceptance List. It puts clarity on the achievements and challenges of the higher education department, the Govt and Stakeholders.
The opinions are based on our personal experience since the inception of DHERST's online selection systems. We hope that it gives you an understanding of the whole process.
For the status updates of the PNG universities acceptance lists, click here.
Grade 12 Selections to Tertiary Institutions
The selection of Grade 12 students takes place before the Acceptance List 2023 comes out.
DHERST used the National Online Application System (NOAS) to capture students' school leavers' choices. And uses the National Online Selection System (NOSS) to, electronically, select students according to their choice on the online school leavers' form, the NOAS.
Before 2018, the Grade 12 students had only 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices they pre-fill on a manual school leavers form. The manual SLF is sent to Port Moresby where tertiary institutions in the country scour over the paper forms and select students - this is long gone.
The online selection and 2023 acceptance list compilation will be the 5th year DHERST runs the online selection.
The online selection system and acceptance is the best technological intervention implemented by the higher education department, DHERST.
However, there seemed to be a certain weakness in the selection process as seen in the release of the 2020 and 2021 acceptance lists. We do not know exactly what caused the delay but we can only infer that it may be due to the Public Holiday.
2021 Acceptance List Release - Case Example
The 2021 acceptance list will be published before the TESAS Award list.
The Post Courier reports on a statement by the higher education department secretary mentioned that the 2021 acceptance list will be published in two parts:
- Acceptance List of School Leavers: formal list of all the students who will be enrolled for the first time at tertiary institutions in the country.
- TESAS Award List 2021: The final list of the students in the 2021 acceptance list including their 'indicated' TESAS Award status.
DHERST indicated to have released the acceptance list on the second Friday of January 2021. This has not happened.
We believe DHERST was working to get the 2021 acceptance list out to the public. Meanwhile, students, parents and citizens have to wait for the higher education department to make another announcement.
The Post Courier reported that the TESAS Award list will be released in late January or February 2021.
The reason is that 'DHERST will wait for all the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the country to confirm their selection listing before the final TESAS Award List comes out.
Waiting for the HEIs in the country to send the confirmed list to DHERST can take ages. But, the Post Courier hinted that the final list could come out by late January or early February before the academic year starts.
Why Acceptance List Not Released on Time?
Many students, parents and stakeholders were asking the same question, why was the list acceptance list not released on time.
As mentioned, the process of selection, quality checks, confirming availability of spaces with HEIs, etc is challenging. DHERST must get it right so that they do not mess up the final acceptance list.
The final acceptance list for students to enrol at the universities (including the PNG Govt's scholarship details) should/will come out a few weeks before the academic year starts.
If you are someone with a special circumstance (non-school leaver, school leaver, self-sponsored, etc ) and need more time to prepare; make sure you mitigate the risks in good time before the academic year starts.
DHERST Acceptance List 2024: Key Points
In a press release two years ago, the Department of Higher Education (DHERST) said the students whose names appeared on the Grade 12 selection list must take note of the three points
- (1) Your personal details contained within your application has been forwarded to the Higher Education Institution which has selected you.
- (2) You should expect to receive an admissions offer letter directly from your Higher Education Institution (HEI). The HEI will communicate directly with you to inform you on specific details.
- (3) If your Study Program receives scholarship awards from the National Government, you may be eligible for financial support through the Tertiary Education Student Assistance Scheme (TESAS). Your TESAS status is also indicated in this National Selection List. Please log in to the NOAS (apply.dherst.gov.pg) and check MyStatus section any time before the 22nd December 2018 for further details on how to access your scholarship. [DHERST , Press Release 2018]
Concerns if DHERST Race Past February 2023
In the meantime, there is no need to worry, even though the school year is approaching fast. Citizens and stakeholders must be patient. DHERST, since 2018, has done a fantastic job with the:
- Online School Leavers Application (NOAS),
- Online Selection System (NOSS),
- Compiling and quality-checking the selection listings
- Liaising with HEIs in the country,
- Publishing the acceptance listing for ALL the HEIs
Of course, there should be concerns raised IF DHERST has gone past mid-February. But for now, the department needs all the support it can get from the PNG govt, institutions in the country, parents, citizens and stakeholders.
We ask that you join us on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube for up-to-date education info on tertiary institution selections in the country, as they happen. In addition to PNG Insight Blog, we also run the PNG Insight website and PNG Mathematics Exam Resource website.
