The students enrolled in degree programmes in Pharmacy and Optometry but were unable to access loans for either programme. The tuition fee for both programmes is also substantially higher than the regular tuition at $250,000.
The University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS) has been campaigning on behalf of the students and has held two protests on campus to no avail. UG Registrar, Vincent Alexander told Stabroek News yesterday that there is no specific fee structure for new programmes, which were approved and added to the University’s curriculum. He said that the tuition fees for the programmes in question were approved when it came up for consideration. On the issue of whether loans would be available, he declined comment, saying he had no authority in the matter.
The Ministry of Finance has oversight for the Student Loan Agency at the university, and Education Minister Shaik Baksh also has authority with respect to loans. The Minister could not be reached yesterday for a comment.
UGSS said that it fully agrees with the increase in fees from $127,000 to $250,000 in order to upgrade facilities to accommodate a degree programme instead of an associate degree programme. However, the body is calling for compromise so that students could be offered a loan to the tune of $127,000, as was previously offered for the associate degree, and the remainder be paid in cash by the student.
Close to 30 students who opted to pay loans for the degrees in Pharmacy and are affected, are likely to be shut out of final examinations if the problem is not resolved within the week- final examinations are only open to fully registered students.
