Law students most affected by delayed opening of UG – SS president

Oct 25, 2008 News

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– official confident November opening realistic

Their plans had to be altered, and additional costs have been incurred by several students enrolled at the University of Guyana, because of the prolonged delay in the opening of that academic institution.
And the impact has been significant on both foreign and local students, some of whom are in a state of instability, since there has been no definite date by which the university is expected to be reopened.
Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, president of the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS), Jason Benjamin, disclosed that while all students have undoubtedly been affected, the situation has been more of a threat to law students.
Benjamin explained that because classes have not commenced for second and third year law students, they could, as a result, be faced with some level of difficulty in furthering their education at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, or at the Norman Manley Law School in Kingston, Jamaica.
According to Benjamin, if classes are not completed as recommended in time for the enrolment period at the two Caribbean institutes, students could be left in a sad state of affairs.
He disclosed that, through an agreement between the local university and the Caribbean institutes, the top 25 law students that graduate are usually eligible to pursue additional courses in Trinidad or Jamaica.
Benjamin said that when such concerns were brought to the attention of the university’s Deputy Registrar, Mr Vincent Alexander, it was revealed that officials at the Hugh Wooding Law School were aware of the current situation at the Turkeyen campus, thus alternative plans are likely to be put in place for the delayed students.
However, Benjamin disclosed that he has been unable to confirm whether similar arrangements have been put in place at the Norman Manley Law School.
There have been reports, though, that some students are concerned that their enrolment at the Jamaican institution next June may not be a reality, due to the situation, since it is feared that the scheduled conclusion of the local programme in May 2008 might not materialise.
But while the senior law students are hoping for a speedy reopening of the university, first-year students are somewhat at ease.
According to the UGSS president, the first-year students had commenced classes early at Queen’s College, since they have to participate in a regional examination over which the university has no major control.
Similarly second, third, fourth and fifth-year students of the Health Sciences Faculty have been able to commence both practical and theoretical sessions at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Benjamin added that students of the other faculties, while they are not as threatened as those participating in the law programme, are also affected by the delay.
He disclosed that some of the foreign students, sponsored by their government, particularly those from Belize, are only funded up to the initial timeframe of courses, and therefore would possibly incur additional costs.
Then there are those students, according to Benjamin, who in their state of instability had contemplated returning to their homeland during the prolonged delay, but feared that they would miss the start of classes.
Several have complained that they have been forced to waste a considerable amount of time and have been made to find jobs to maintain themselves here.
And, according to Benjamin, there is a possibility that the situation at the Turkeyen campus will even impact the holding of examinations at the Tain Campus.
He explained that, based on an administrative decision which has been in effect, examinations at the two campuses must be held simultaneously. He added that classes at Tain had commenced in September, but students may be delayed as they might very well have to wait for Turkeyen to catch up.
Meanwhile, sanitisation work continued on the campus up to yesterday, and according to the head of the university’s technical committee, Mr Patrick Ketwaru, the status of the work was expected to be discussed by the end of the day. But, according to Ketwaru, although work is still ongoing, the November date projected by Education Minister Shaik Baksh for the reopening of the university seems to be very realistic. He added that if there are any slippages in the process they will only be minor, but the buildings will be safe enough to be reoccupied.
Ketwaru pointed out that he is working with the contracted workers who are currently engaged in the sanitisation process, noting that he spends about 10 hours a day on the campus grounds, an indication that he has a vested interest in ensuring that the facility is safe.

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