After 25 fruitful years of educating young Papua New Guineans from around the country alongside the teaching of Christian values and teachings, the Don Bosco Technological Institute or DBTI this year celebrates its 25th Silver Jubilee with a number of events to commemorate this milestone in the history of the institution.

On the 11^th of May, the APEC haus in Port Moresby was graced with the presence of stakeholders, sponsors, past-pupils, donors, members of the Catholic clergy, family and friends who were present for the 25^th Silver Jubilee Fundraising Dinner.

 The event was to celebrate and sustain the achievement of DBTI in reaching 25 years, yet to also maintain partnership with stakeholders towards the advancing in development of the institution in playing a key role in educating young men and women to become “good Christians and honest citizens” as St. John Bosco intended.

 As part of DBTI’s contribution to nation building despite the grim reality surrounding the quality of education in the country, the providing of quality education towards the betterment of the country has always been at the forefront of DBTI’s teaching objectives.

Such was the sentiment shared by the President of DBTI, Fr. Ariel Macatangay SBD during his speech to mark the welcome note of the event.

“Besides DBTI’s potential in being a partner for technological training, DBTI can also be your partner in boosting the education in Papua New Guinea.

In its May 2024 Papua New Guinea Economic Update entitled “Invest in Your Children,” the World Bank paints a dim picture of the education crisis in PNG and “focuses on the urgent need for more and better investment in education to address a human capital crisis in PNG.”  

With a total of 21 technological programs offered at the institute, this was a key statement and was emphasized on depicting the belief in ensuring that the young citizens of the nation are to possess healthy minds, God-fearing hearts, and skilled hands in order to be contributing and productive members of the community.

The same was noted and emphasized by the Guest Speaker and the Member for Moresby South, Justin Tkatchenko.

“The Catholic church has done a lot towards the educating of young Papua New Guineans”, he said.

“The takeaway from this event is that we can all achieve so much through effort and partnership for the nurturing and excelling of our young people”, he further added in regards to the importance in the benefits of working together to ensure that young women and men have access to quality education they deserve.

Tkatchenko has been a supporter towards the upgrading and development of educational institutions within his electorate.

Further complimentary remarks to mark the celebration of DBTI’s Silver Jubilee were shared and cemented by alumnus, Godrey Morisa, the Managing Director of GMT Automation who elaborated on the importance of institutions such as DBTI that has given many past pupils as himself, the opportunity to have access to quality education and achieve dreams and goals they had set forth in life.

DBTI was established in 1999, with its first batch of 75 young men as pioneer students and further opened its doors in 2001 accepted its first female students to be part of the educative community.

The institute has over a total of 800 students in 21 different technological programs.