The neglect of higher education in Guyana

Aug 28, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I respond to Dr. Prem Misir’s letter in Kaieteur News (22nd August, 2010) entitled: “Reforming higher Education with a reduced Budget.”
In this letter Dr. Misir seeks to justify a possible reorganisation of the University of Guyana. The first sentence of his letter: “Today, fiscal crisis is taking a toll on many universities, particularly as Government funding becomes scarce…” I would like to remind Dr. Misir that Guyana has only one institution claiming to be a University. This said institution has been underfunded, neglected, abused and politically interfered with for decades.
This University once the pride of all Guyana is starving for funding and the evidence is there for all to see. UG is evidently a run-down, dilapidated, malnourished institution compared with her Caribbean sister institutions.
The well-funded North American situations and the Guyanese situation are totally different. The analogy is a well-fed youth of the West and a famished child of an impoverished third world country made worse by man-made disasters and neglect.
The next sentence of Dr. Misir’s letter: “Ralf Dahrendorf pronounced correctly that stagnant universities are expensive and ineffectual monuments….” Dr. Misir must know that UG has long become a stagnant and ineffective monument. It is expensive to the country that this university is not meeting the needs of national development.
In the US besides state-funded universities there are private institutions. People have choices and choose what they can afford or prefer. Many universities in the US receive grants from various foundations and endowments from individuals and alumni. In Guyana, UG does not receive major private grants and endowments to offset costs, fees and scholarships.
It is true that over the past years some Western universities have streamlined their operations to be more efficient. This means making smaller departments in some cases and amalgamating others. The stated aims of re-organisation include cutting fat bureaucracies and/or high administrative costs.
But it must be clearly pointed out that core high quality education services are maintained. In most cases, research is enhanced. Research brings grants, students, scholars and prestige to a university.
The US and other developed countries (including Japan) owe their wealth and technological advances to their well-funded universities.
The emergent economic power houses (China, India and South Korea) have invested heavily in their universities. Many other societies (Ireland) are doing the same and moving their countries forward.
There is a direct relationship between universities and a country’s national development. The PPP has ignored this to its peril, despite the pleas of several advocates for better funding and treatment of UG. President B. Jagdeo and his PPP Government still fail to see the price of ignorance and their consequences of actions.
The PPP Government ignored this basic principle when it appoints again and again non-scientific, non-technical, non-developmentally experienced person who from their backgrounds were/are not trained or able to deal with and advocate for science and technology.
They do not have the skills and expertise to advance the country. Same responses yield same results – stagnation. The university is essentially a deprived liberal arts college and this is reflected in its past and present leadership.
Dr. Misir went to great lengths to cite Dr. Gary Olson and Dr Ralf Dahrendorf. One Question: Does Dr. Misir think these men would call UG a university? Would Dr. Misir be happy to give them a tour of UG? What would these men say to Dr. Misir? They would be abhorred to see an only University allowed to literally decay into dust.
The people cited by Dr. Misir worked towards and promoted research and development at their respective institutions. Where are the research and development outputs from UG? Where are the investments with regards to the national developmental objectives?
The question is not what others think about their own particular problems, but what do we think should be done in our situation in Guyana in the national interests. We have to stop quoting some ‘authorities’ who live far away and do not even know we exist or care about us.
The late Dr. Josh Ramsammy said to the General Secretary of the PYO at a UG symposium: Comrade we know what Lenin thinks, but what do you think about our local situation? I ask you Dr. Misir the same thing: What do you think?
The problem Dr. Misir is that more than reorganisation is needed at UG. What is required is: ‘raising the dead back to life.’ This initially requires chopping Government control of the council and its inept administration.
Restoration of an independent Board of Governors and proper funding are essential first steps. If you cannot take such basics action then your words and actions will amount to nothing.
We know what needs to be done, stop talking and get moving. Do Dr. Misir and the PPP Governemnt dare to do the right thing for UG, Guyanese and Guyana?
Seelochan Beharry

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