The ideology of students at UG or an ideology triggered by or initiated by a visionless administration?

Oct 27, 2018 Letters

---

DEAR EDITOR,
Allow me to ideologize at best, the way I think most of the students think, consciously or subconsciously at the University of Guyana, and why. The why part of the question comes into effect, as we all know, or should know, that we develop an ideology based on various reasons. Ideologies can be developed or forced upon us, based on the environment in which we are surrounded by, books we read, etc.
Frederick Kissoon wrote a beautiful column about two months ago on the ideology of the Guyanese mind. In it, he vicariously charged the various political entities of the country for the state of affairs that existed in the local, and to an extent, foreign Guyanese mind.
In a nutshell, what he concluded was that Guyanese basically do nothing to change their existing difficulties caused by the various political policies we have had over the years. He stated that at the individual level, we might more be inclined to fix the situation so that we can maneuver at best through the horrible conditions we are then subjected to, instead of trying to fight off some of these oppressive methods used by governments that might not only affect us but future generations.
We can henceforth conclude that, a system of selfish individuals will arise. It is no different at the University level. Most of the persons I come into contact with, students to be precise, always say one thing “I just come here to get my degree and come out”. But what has fueled that ideology; that code that each of them consciously or subconsciously live by? Can the administration be blamed? Let me elaborate.
Your first year at the University of Guyana will definitely be the toughest. Sad to say, this might not be because you’re having a hard time finding the rooms to which your class is keeping. It might not be because of the fact that the University is so big. This, however, might be, the madness in terms of operation that you might encounter. You can be mind-blown by what you will come into contact with. It also, however, holds no merit in that it is your first year. Absolutely none whatsoever.
To do research for a given subject, you will find yourself in most cases having to use books. These books, most times than not, are called reference books and can be found in libraries. The University of Guyana has a library, so this should be easy right? However, since most research books are called or referred to as ‘reference’ books, you are not and would not be allowed to use these books outside of the library, which means your research has to be done in the library.
I am spelling it out for the readers so they can see the absurdity that will follow. In order to use a reference book, one must possess a library card – something that can only be obtained by possessing a University of Guyana Student Identification. Sometimes, eight weeks can elapse at the start of the semester and the University will not or would not issue you with a Student ID.
A national identification card neither a passport cannot be used to obtain a library card, a University of Guyana badge can. Just imagine the madness you would have to go through if you are given research to do within the first eight weeks or beyond that, and you have to use reference books from the library and your badge is not yet printed.
This has been the case now for years, according to this writer, but most students have shown no care for this aspect of the university life, because it affects them not because they do not use the library and even if they do have this problem, due to a lack of change or ability to change, students rather keep their cry inside and find the next best alternative to have their work completed.
We all have accepted these poor services offered at the University because we have seen the unwillingness of the administration to effectively change some of these baseless protocols as if the services provided were free.
I started the University almost a year ago, appalled at the state of affairs that existed. I could not believe that this was the highest learning institution of the country. I could not believe that there was another institution on par with the likes of Guyana Power and Light (GPL), the Guyana Post Office (GPO, an editorial by this writer about that entity shall shortly be followed), Guyana Water Incorporated, etc. It was shocking!
I wanted to know why no student there was as angry as I was. I wanted to know who represented the students’ best interest, I wanted to know who was head of the Student Society. There were so many unanswered questions. The only answers I got was “boy, it has been like this for ever so long, you best get what you come here for and get out”. Everybody uttered that sentence. Upon careful and thoughtful examination, what I found was that change was not something welcomed unless it was initiated by admin or thought best by admin. What that means is once admin doesn’t see it fit, it remains the same.
Nobody seemed mentally strong enough to invoke change through whatever means available to them. Nobody seemed mentally strong enough to challenge the system that existed. Hence, a culture of ‘what happens, happens’ developed. The sad part about that was that most times, the person willing to challenge that system, might not be the Student Society President (no offence intended) at the time.
Imagine a University cannot fix its timetable for various faculties ahead of the start of the semester, even after given a three-month break (May, June, July, and most of August). Seven weeks in, the timetable is not fixed. You can well and show up for classes and be informed via the timetable that the subject has moved to another day or another time. Could you Imagine coming from Linden or Berbice to hear that?
Persons working in the private sector and trying to acquire their respective qualifications would find this a very dreadful task.
Private employers do not give you the time off to attend the University (if classes fall within working hours) and if they do, it has to be something fixed. With how the timetable is set up, you can’t be sure of anything.
I’ve had conversations with over twenty persons who have lost their job because they did not have a fixed timetable to show their bosses in order to have the time-off.
This too has been the case for many years now and students have come to accept this timetable madness. In UG’s eyes, it will be fixed when they decide to fix it. Persons now have accepted this to be the norm and they don’t really care for themselves nor the future generations who will grace the said entity with their presence. The administration has done a terrific job in not effectively enforcing change, and suppressing any thought thereof.
Sadly, I have to stop here, but rest assured, a subsequent part to this ‘clipping’ will be posted over the upcoming days.
Jafar Gibbons

---

---