UG’s unions call for fees’ abolition

Aug 29, 2010 News

Just a day from opening its doors to students for the new academic year, the students’ and workers’ unions of the country’s only university say that government should review its policy on charging fees, abolishing it altogether.
Speaking with Kaieteur News over the weekend, Vice Chairman of the University of Guyana Workers’ Union, Freddie Kissoon, disclosed that no formal decision has been taken.

UGWU’s Vice-Chairman, Freddie Kissoon

The lecturer said there is a distinct possibility of it happening, as government’s representatives on the Council have broadly agreed that fees should be raised.
Kissoon, who sits on the UG Council, the highest decision-making body at the campus, said that the union has an “inflexible and unpersuasive attitude” against the raising of fees.
However, the Ministry of Education has said that the Council must give its approval for the raise, and even then it still has to be vetted by the government, which subsidises the facilities.
“The fees (increase) have been discussed quite frequently at Council’s meetings but I am not at liberty to discuss the deliberations. What I can tell you is that the union is quite opposed to any fees being charged…period. The union and the UG Students’ Society are set to make a joint statement on the matter, which obviously is of a huge concern to us,” said Kissoon.
In his arguments for a no-fee system, Kissoon felt that ideologically, it is the government of poor countries that should fund the education system. It is the richer countries that should charge for education. He pointed out that Trinidad and Barbados have a higher GDP and GNP than Guyana, yet university education is free in those countries.
The UG lecturer said the case for no fees at UG could be likened to the free delivery at the country’s public hospitals.
The official noted that while there have been arguments that fees are being charged to attend universities overseas, the situation has to be taken in the context that workers there are paid far more than in Guyana. “It is pathetic and absurd to say that France, the US, etc., charge for tertiary education when those countries’ economies are trillions of times better than Guyana’s. In fact, when you compare income earnings in those countries, university education is affordable,” Kissoon said.
In speaking to Kaieteur News, Kissoon was convinced that the two unions can come up with several reasons to reject the upping of fees.
“We have seen no visible improvement in the earning capacity among the lower class and lower middle class. Rather, there is a decrease in the earning ability of the working people. When you look at the salaries of these strata, how can you justify any increase or even paying fees?” the lecturer intoned.
According to the two unions, the rich and wealthy young people do not attend UG. Their parents send them abroad.
Kissoon explained that if one calls the name of any rich businessman and asked them about their children’s education, one will hear that they are at foreign universities.
“UG’s name does not travel well in Guyana because Guyanese know it has collapsed,” Kissoon believes. “In some cases, these people are shameless in that they advertise their children’s graduation from foreign universities in the newspapers.”
The lecturer added that the US Embassy issues 74 student visas each year.
Another reason why the fees should be abolished altogether is government’s priority.
Kissoon disclosed that it is the firm belief of both unions that there is money to rehabilitate UG and to make education free, however, this just is not a priority for the government.

UG’s unions are calling for the campus’ administrators to consider halting the charging of fees.

“When this government wants to find money, it finds it. It is just that it is not interested in UG because it views it an enclave in Guyana over which it has and will not have total control.”
Last month, Registrar of UG, Vincent Alexander, had announced that the campus was considering a hike in fees.
Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh, in a statement, said that he had met with Vice Chancellor of UG, Professor Lawrence Carrington, to discuss among other things, the Strategic Plan of the campus.
UG’s financial shortfall was also said to be a key issue raised and the Vice-Chancellor was tasked to submit a proposal to Baksh that would have been considered by government.
According to the Minister, several UG officials, including Chancellor, Professor Compton Bourne, Professor Carrington and Pro Chancellor, Dr Prem Misir, had met with him to discuss the plan.
An estimated 5,000 students attend the Turkeyen campus every year.