Lecturers and support staff at the University of Guyana (UG) are bracing for the possible discontinuation of some of the university’s programmes and non-renewal of some their contracts as the implications of the cutting of $450 million for student loans from the national budget begins to take form.
This was the grim message delivered yesterday by the heads of the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana Workers’ Union (UGWU), both of which pledged to shut down the university if attempts are made to cut any of the university’s programmes or discontinue the contracts of any lecturers or support staff to cushion the blow from the lack of funds.
President of the UGSSA Patsy Francis said University Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Jacob Opadeyi signaled the likely cutbacks during a recent meeting.
Stabroek News was able yesterday to verify that Opadeyi indicated the possibility of cutbacks to the unions but he made it clear that he was not conveying that any such decision had already been made and was only explaining the possibilities.
Francis said Opadeyi announced that if there are insufficient funds to run the university as the result of the cuts, he will consider