Success Through Commitments and Perseverance in Papua New Guinea – True Life Story of Betani Ruhup From a Janitor to a Double Degree Holder: From a Cleaner to a Mine worker to a Security Guard, then to a Secondary School Teacher. Finally, to a Second Degree Holder from the University of Papua New Guinea. My encouragement to the education strugglers out there especially FODE students nation wide and MinTribe( Oksapmin Telefomin and Faiwolmin) is that NEVER EVER GIVE UP. Stay focus and remember that there is AlWAYS a light at the end of the tunnel. My education formula was/ is Education= God+ Struggle + Perseverance= Success.
– Betani Ruhup
Success Through Commitments and Perseverance in Papua New Guinea – True Life Story of Betani Ruhup From a Janitor to a Double Degree Holder
The Journey Of A Janitor To A Double Degree Holder : Story Of Betani Ruhup
By Betani Ruhup
From a Cleaner to a Mine worker to a Security Guard, then to a Secondary School Teacher. Finally, to a Second Degree Holder from the University of Papua New Guinea.
I did my grade seven at Aitape High School in 1993 after grade six at Divanapmin Primary School. Due to malaria attack I transferred to Telefomin High School and continued 7-8.
However, due to some problems, I further transferred down to Tabubil High School and completed 9-10. After the grade 10 examination, I was not accepted to any institutions meaning I failed the exams.
My brother (Joe Finn Ruhup snr) told me to go home and plant taro and kaukau which I did. After some time, a thought came to my mind to go back to Tabubil so I went and stayed at Old Wangbin village. From there I did enroll at the CODE/FODE at the OTML Training Center.While upgrading my marks I was given a job at the OTML Mill Chemistry Laboratory.S
ometimes, I used to take my CODE assignments to the work place(OTML Chem Lab) and do them during tea breaks and lunch hour.
I resigned with Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) in 2005.Why I resigned? This is the story. One fortnight Friday afternoon, I was crushing some Geology Blast Hole Samples and I felt that somebody was staring at me. I looked around to see any one, but I didn’t see any one.
When I looked at the back door I saw a white man with his eye glasses right on his nose trills and was staring at me.I was so scared.He told me to stop the crushing machine and come forward.I stopped the machine and walked towards him.He told me to sit down so I set down on the chair.
To my surprise, I noticed that he was the Managing Director of Ok Tedi Mining Limited, Keith Faukner.This was his message: “Son you know what I am an underground Mining Engineer” and he just walked off without any addition or subtraction ( without any words or explainations).I was shocked by his powerfull words.
To make the story short, from there I resigned.I attended several institutions like Pom Tech ( now Pom Poly Tech), Lae Tech( now Lae Poly Tech, other private institutions like Commercial Training College,Mae Professional Institute, International Training Institute,Mapex Training Institute and so on.
I also worked as a Security Guard with Tawap Kaman Security Services (at Tabubil) and Cleaner at the Tabubil Super Market. Some how, I ended up the University of Goroka for a Diploma in Melanesian Studies and then further did my Bachelor of Education. I only taught for 6 years in various secondary schools and came for my second degree at UPNG.
While studying at UPNG, for two years (2019 and 2018) I was a cleaner in the night at 9 Mile, Makana Morobe Block and during the day I was a student. In 2020 Christmas I worked with Pacific Cooperate Security as a Security Guard and in 2021 I was with PC Central at Waigani for grade 11 Geography Distance Marker.Thats how I survived at UPNG.
My encouragement to the education strugglers out there especially FODE students nation wide and MinTribe( Oksapmin Telefomin and Faiwolmin) is that NEVER EVER GIVE UP. Stay focus and remember that there is AlWAYS a light at the end of the tunnel. My education formula was/ is Education= God+ Struggle + Perseverance= Success.
