A communication mishap at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S) means 14 students, who were listed to graduate today, will not be doing so.
They are students of the newly-introduced Trades Preparatory Year under the Faculty of Science.
Upset parents have expressed their disappointment over the handling of the issue. Several had already organised family gatherings to celebrate – including relatives travelling from overseas and other islands - for the occasion.
The Samoa Observer was told that the students' names had been included in the list of graduates until last Saturday when the University contacted them with the bad news.
“I was very confused when my son told me last Saturday that N.U.S. called and informed him that he will not graduate,” said Lisale, a parent of one of the students.
“Maybe they are right in some ways but they should never have put that list up without a proper check at it to see if it was correct."
“Now what? After hearing the news last Monday there was a celebration in my family.
Everything was ready, and now I don’t know what to say. It’s hard to accept and it’s embarrassing if you are a parent.”
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Student, Leafa Pauga, said they have been told that the reason they are not graduating today is because they did not pass the core paper, TPY002 or Communication.
He said they were never informed about this.
“Not a single teacher told us that it was a must to pass this paper during our Orientation at the beginning of this year,” said the 23-year-old.
“All they said was, that we must pass eight from ten papers then we’d graduate for this year…that’s all.”
Not so, according to the University.
A senior official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that it is the responsibility of students to check their student calendars and find out which paper they must pass in order to graduate.
“Orientation is not enough for them to get all the information they need for their courses,” the official said.
“It’s one of their responsibilities as a student in this University to see what’s needed. I have nothing much to say about the list of students whose names have now removed from the notice board.”
Tuiono Fa’aui, a parent from Vaisala, Savai’i, said it was last Saturday that someone from the N.U.S. called to say that her son would not be graduating.
“I told her that they should have told us sooner because we have already hired the gown which is more than $200,” she said.
“We were already planning to come here to Upolu to celebrate his graduation with my family."
“It’s seems like they are not worried too much about it but these students may end up doing something wrong or taking their own lives because they are ashamed.”
She said that a miscommunication between the students and the N.U.S. is the cause of all problems.
An emergency meeting between students, parents, N.U.S. Registrar Luagalau Foisaga Eteuati-Shon and other University officials was held on Monday.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Leapai Asofou So'o was not available for a comment. His secretary said that he was having a meeting.
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