Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
This should not be the standard at which our university operates
DEAR EDITOR,
“Is UG you deh. What you expeck?” This is the general sentiment of students at our national tertiary institution, the University of Guyana. Following an academic year without any major hiccups, I wondered, naively, if I would be made to rethink such. My tribulations, in attempting to enroll in two ‘Summer Courses’ offered, would however ground me.
Having received an email to notify me that the ‘Summer Registrations’ portal was open, I submitted a request for registration on the very day. While the average student is aware that these requests take time to process, an entire week passed by and my registration was still woefully labelled “HOD Approval Pending”.
Inquiries revealed that I was not the only student effectively stuck. But all advice from staff and coordinators was to remain patient. Indeed, that weekend, our requests were actioned, only needing payment of tuition to be furthered. Never mind that the original deadline for payment had passed. We were generously allowed a three day extension, following which, a five thousand dollar late fee was also required.
As of Monday past (June 10), classes commenced. Timetables having been posted and scrutinised for clashes, foolishly, I turned up for my first class, expecting a lecture.
Alas! I was forced to wait all of half an hour to learn that there would be no lecture that day, owing to “challenges” with securing the listed classroom for the hours printed. My colleagues and I were expected to turn up for the next session, in the same room, to be informed of all changes, and to keep an eye on the timetables, going forward.
Throughout the rest of the week, the timetable has been altered once to reflect a change in days the courses would be taught, with classrooms listed as same.
Reaching out to the Faculty (School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation), I was advised that a three hour session would be temporarily reduced to an hour and a half, until classrooms were secured. Lecturers for my two courses, under said Faculty, appear to dance to their own tune, however.
Whereas the lecturers have noted their availability and timings for different days, none of this appears to have been relayed to the Faculty itself, at the time of the penning of this letter.
The timetables have not yet been altered, nor has the Faculty displayed any knowledge of the lecturers’ decision-making as regards choosing their own days and timings.
In fact, I made the unfortunate decision to turn up for a second lecture, only to be told that the lecturer’s timings had changed. I had contacted the Faculty that afternoon, before leaving for campus, in hopes of avoiding wasting my time and money in the exact situation.
Moving into the second week of classes, I hold my head in my hands, in frustration. While the aforementioned issues brought their hassles, I am further pressed, knowing that courses have previously failed in these circumstances, forcing students to take them at a later date.
As I pray this will not be the case, I cannot help but brood. This should not be the standard at which our university operates. Circling back to the opening question, what do I expect? Simply put, better.
Sincerely,
A Disgruntled UG Student
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