BY NED GAGAHE

The long-envisioned fourth campus of Solomon Islands National University (SINU) in Malaita Province is moving closer to reality following a high-level meeting held on Friday, May 2, 2025, between a SINU delegation and the Malaita Provincial Government (MPG) technical team in Auki.

Led by Pro Vice-Chancellor Corporate, Dr William Parairato, the SINU team met with key MPG officials to advance discussions on the establishment of the Aligegeo campus.

A statement from SINU said the central focus of the meeting was the official transfer of land from MPG to SINU — a crucial requirement for the project to proceed.

A key outcome from the meeting was the agreement to establish a joint Steering Committee.

Once formed, the Committee will be responsible for finalizing all land transfer instruments in preparation for an official declaration during Malaita’s Second Appointed Day celebrations in August 2025.

Speaking during the meeting, Parairato reaffirmed SINU’s commitment to expanding its services to Malaita, stating the Aligegeo campus represents a strategic development that will provide lasting benefits to the province through education, training, and local economic growth.

Deputy Provincial Secretary Peter Herehura, who represented the MPG technical team, confirmed MPG’s strong support for the initiative and noted that preparatory work on the land documentation is already underway. He said MPG is committed to ensuring that all administrative and legal requirements are completed on schedule.

The meeting was followed by a site visit to the proposed Aligegeo campus location, which has been praised for its central location and the absence of land disputes — a factor seen as key to the project’s success.

This latest development builds on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between SINU and MPG on August 15, 2024, during the 41st Malaita Second Appointed Day celebrations.

The MoU was signed by SINU Vice Chancellor Professor Transform Aqorau and Premier Elijah Asilaua, in the presence of donor partners and hundreds of local residents.

The proposed Aligegeo campus will be SINU’s first outside of Honiara and is expected to offer academic programmes in agriculture, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), teacher training, and short courses tailored to Malaita’s development needs.

The campus aims to ease the financial burden on Malaitan students who travel to Honiara for studies, while at the same time creating local jobs, boosting infrastructure, and enhancing human capacity in the province.

The establishment of the Steering Committee marks the next critical phase in making the SINU 4th Campus a reality.

Currently, SINU has three campuses, all located in Honiara: Kukum, Ranadi, and Panatina.

The SINU Aligegeo campus will be the 4th campus.

The move is being hailed as a critical step forward for education in the province, with many Malaitans expressing their full support.

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