The Alliance For Change (AFC) is calling on the government to immediately abolish fees at the University of Guyana (UG). The party is of the view that as an oil producing nation, priority spending must be placed on education. In this context, there must be no fees or costs for persons wishing to pursue higher education at our premier tertiary education institution, the party said.
Its views come against the backdrop of the most recent crop of 2,200 UG graduands, and the anticipated reading of the 2022 budget next Wednesday.
The AFC, which forms half of the main Opposition party, said that for this year alone, oil production “should” reach some 340,000 barrels of oil per day. It added that proceeds must go toward providing free education, and not be “squandered away behind projects that only provide kick-backs for the boys”.
The AFC noted that in recent years, over 10,000 to 12,000 young Guyanese graduate secondary school but just about 3000 go on to university. This year, about 2,200 will graduate from the University of Guyana. In fact, UG graduating class averages some 3000. When compared to the number of students graduating secondary school, it is clear that not enough young people are seeking a university education.
The AFC pointed out that one major obstacle is the fees they are asked to pay.
“That trend must be reversed. The AFC believes that should university education be made free once again we will see more persons opting for that level of tertiary education,” the party stressed.
Additionally, it noted that UG, itself, needs an influx of finance for both the Turkeyen and Tain Campuses. Even as virtual learning continues, lab facilities, lecture rooms, equipment and interactive programmes for virtual learning must be enhanced AFC said. Lecturers also must be adequately compensated and consideration must be given to establishing university campuses at Linden and Essequibo. In addition, there is need for a technical institute at Lethem.
“Now that the PPP government has amended the law so that it can access all monies earned from our oil sector, it must ensure that spending be aligned to the development of our citizens. Sustainable development of our nation will depend on us having an educated population be it at the university or technical training levels as provided for at the technical institutes, Carnegie School of Home Economics or other such institutions,” the AFC said.
It calls on other leaders in society including the private sector, the Bar Association, trade unions, political parties, religious organizations and others to demand free education from nursery to university for the nation’s young people.
