UG to begin online registration this year

Jan 04, 2009 News

– Education MinisterChanges are likely to be effected this year at the University of Guyana. According to Education Minister Shaik Baksh, these changes are intended to improve the operation of that tertiary institution.

The minister was at the time addressing a press conference at the Brickdam headquarters of the Ministry of Education in Georgetown, on Friday.

According to the minister, during the past year, the Education Ministry had worked assiduously with the university to examine proposed changes that are deemed necessary for improved operation of the university.
He disclosed that online registration and early submission of examination results are crucial to the effective functioning of the university.

Minister Baksh said that a public consultation was held in this regard, and there has since been a review of the university’s strategic plan.

“We have to bring about some changes at the university for the year 2009, to ensure that it is in a better position to deal with the challenges of development and to provide the human resources at both the graduate and post graduate levels in our country.”

He added that, with change, the university will be able to produce the kind of graduates that employers would want to employ in both the private and public sector arenas.

And since among the key areas being targeted for change are the process of registration and the manner in which examination results are usually submitted, every effort will be made to effect such changes urgently, the minister said.

In addressing the registration process, the minister said that the university must, this year, move towards online registration.

“This is long overdue, and I will be taking this up hands-on with the university, to ensure that this happens this year,” the minister asserted.
Several university students have, on a number of occasions, voiced their concerns about the sustained style of registration at the university, which causes them to waste much time in line if they are to become bona fide students.

Minister Baksh also alluded to the dilatory style of some lecturers as he commented on the slothful way the results of examinations are made available.
“Lecturers take so long to submit their results…and it is affecting the entire workings of the university,” Minister Baksh disclosed.

He noted that his ministry will be working with the management and board of the university to ensure that the current state of affairs does not continue.

“We want to work hard and we want to effect these changes at the university this year,” the minister confidently reiterated.

Pro chancellor of the University of Guyana (UG), Prem Misir, has said that getting online registration on stream is on the front burner of the university’s activities.
According to him, registration is a big problem every year as students have to line up for hours at a time and sometimes still do not get through.

He noted that some of these students come all the way from Essequibo and far-flung areas.
Misir added that he is disappointed the UG administration has not made this happen. He said that it would be much easier for students to register from whichever part of Guyana they may be as long as they have internet access.

“We should have had this for some years but it didn’t happen.”
Misir stated that this is one of the major challenges facing the University.
“With a student population of near enough to 5,500 we need to develop the online registration.”
He pointed out that it is on stream right now and the administration is pushing it quite aggressively.