Papua New Guinea's Talasea MP Francis Marus has been promoted to the front bench after a cabinet reshuffle.
Mr Marus is the new minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology.
The Post Courier reported that prime minister Peter O'Neill in welcoming Mr Marus to the cabinet said the young MP recently graduated from university and knew student issues.
The past few months had seen PNG universities closed after student unrest in protest over PNG's leadership.
The incumbent Minster for Higher Education Malakai Tabar was moved to the Ministry of Transport.
While the former transport minister Nixon Duban was appointed the new Petroleum and Energy Minister
He replaced Ben Micah who joined the opposition in a failed vote of no confidence against Mr O'Neill last week.
Mr O'Neill said the cabinet line-up brought stability into the government with nine months left to go until the national elections.