UG Council approves 35 percent hike in tuition fees

Apr 02, 2017 News

On Thursday, the University of Guyana Council met and approved the 35 percent hike in tuition

UGSS President,
Ron Glasgow

fees that was proposed by the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith.
The council, in accordance with Griffith’s proposal, has agreed to have the tuition fees hike be implemented incrementally.
The first 15 percent increase is to be effective from September. A 10 percent increase is planned to be applied next year, followed by the other 10 percent increase in 2019. New students enrolling into the University are likely to pay a higher increase.
Ron Glasgow, President of the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS) told Kaieteur News, yesterday, that the body no longer has jurisdiction over the increases – the first 15 percent of which is set to take effect from September – the beginning of the new academic year.
Glasgow, who is also a member of the UG Council, said that he recognises the need for the University to garner more funds, but is disappointed that the administration went ahead to burden students with the responsibility of fulfilling that need.
“Many of our students can’t afford it,” he said.
The UGSS President could not immediately say whether students will be going ahead with their plan to intensify protest actions, now that the feared increases have been confirmed.
“Right now, we are just allowing students to really wrap their heads around the announcement, and soon enough, we’ll decide where to go from here,” Glasgow said.
He explained that even the UGSS is going to need time to assess the impact that the increases are going to have on students.
“As far as the student representation body is concerned, more consultation would be required to determine our next course of action,” Glasgow pointed out.
He said that the one thing that is for sure is the fact that the University’s administration will have to now be more accountable to the students.
“They are going to have to explain and give us evidence as to how the monies are being spent and so forth,” Glasgow added.
Meanwhile, it was Dr. Jewel Thomas, President of the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) who openly accused the University of not being transparent enough when it comes to its spending.

The University of Guyana Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara campus.

“We can’t agree to convince students to pay the increases, when we ourselves have not even seen the university’s priorities. We haven’t seen the budget. We don’t know how they plan to spend the money. They have conducted this process by hugging all the information to themselves,” Dr. Thomas told Kaieteur News recently.
In addition to being disappointed with the actual increase in fees, Glasgow is also annoyed at the way these are being applied.
“Under the past UGSS administration, a five percent increase was agreed to. Even if they are going to go ahead with the hike, the five percent would’ve been best,” Glasgow said.
The student body has been coming under fire from students on social media. Many are of the opinion that the UGSS has taken a stance that makes it seem gullible.
“It sets a dangerous precedence for the student movement at UG. They are basically telling us to roll over and accept the increases, because council has decided it. But we know that in the past, decisions were halted as a result of students’ activism,” Marketing student, Romel Roopnarine pointed out.
In a statement issued on Facebook, Public Relations Officer of UGSS, Christina Basil, said that the decision was made following a seven and a half hour-long Council meeting.
“UGSS President, Mr. Glasgow, was presented with the actual UG Budget, which shows that we were operating at a projected deficit,” the statement said.
The post sought to assure students that UGSS “did not go down without a fight.”
“Comrades, we are cognizant of the economic hardships faced by majority of our students. The UGSS, as promised, will be aggressive with the UG Admin, with respect to accountability and transparency of all monies spent.
“We are asking the students to stand behind us so we can continue our fight for better standards, better services, and better facilities across campus.” (Rehana Ahamad)

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