The Transition of Secondary Students into Higher Tertiary Education: The Perspective of Divine Word University, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of students transitioning from secondary school to higher education institutions and their experiences with contemporary learning. This study explored the challenges and barriers students encounter when transitioning into tertiary education at Divine Word University (DWU) and identified available support services to aid in student development. This study employed an interpretivist philosophy thus; qualitative methodology was used. Data was collected using one- on- one interview with semi- structured questions. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results indicated that students faced multiple challenges, particularly when moving from secondary education. Key challenges expressed by DWU students are, getting nervous and anxious, leaving parents behind and becoming independent, mismanagement of time, excessive social media use, limited digital literacy, and difficulty in adapting to the online system at DWU.

Additionally, adapting to the environment is a significant challenge, which leads to students losing government scholarships, being distracted from studies, and experiencing peer pressures. However, there are support services offered by DWU Student Services, such as counselling, psychoeducation and peer mentoring programs, weekend sports, and Information, Communication and Technology services that help students adapt to the tertiary education system. Hence, it is significant for students to utilize the services available to overcome the challenges expressed. The findings underscore the importance of early engagement with students and the proactive use of available support services to facilitate their transition into higher education. Thus, enhancing orientation programs, increasing digital literacy support, and promoting greater awareness of the offered support services are vital areas for improvement to empower students in their learning.