The University of Guyana Students’ Society (UGSS) yesterday staged a protest at the Turkeyen Campus to highlight poor conditions that they say continue to be ignored.
Scores of students assembled in the vicinity of the campus’ administration building just before midday yesterday to press for better learning conditions and vowed to continue to demonstrate until government intervenes.
These include the timely release of grades, improved labs facilities, functioning AC units, and accreditation of the UG medical school.
Some of the placards carried by the students read: “After 50 years, no standards and increased fees?”, “UG raise your standards,” “The semester is almost over when will our labs start?”, “We want value for our money,” “Every student deserves justice” and “Can’t use our laptops in library.”
The protest was spearheaded by President of the UGSS Joshua Griffith, who called for the standards of the university to be raised instead of the fees paid by students.
He said students need value for their money, while noting that to date students still have lecturers who victimise them. He said females are being told they could only pass examinations and assignments if they “pass something” while he accused dorms and halls of residence of practising racism.
The UGSS had also called last November for the reduction of the facilities fee, which was increased to $50,000 for the 2014/2015 academic year. Both students and staff had previously protested the conditions at the campus, which they said had been neglected for years under the former PPP/C governments.
Stabroek News was informed that several requests were made by the UGSS to meet with the authorities, including President David Granger and government ministers but these requests have not been granted.
“We are calling for the facilities fee to be refunded or reduced since more than 2,000 students came together and signed a petition for that and we believe that it is a justifiable move and that fees are too high at this point especially with the facilities we are provided with presently,” Griffith explained.
At the same time, he pointed out that the coalition government, now almost a year old, has failed to address the longstanding issues at the university. “It’s sad and we are disappointed but we look forward to hearing from them very soon so that we can move the university forward,” he said. “We want to hear from the ministers and government with regard to issues affecting us as students,” he added.
The students promised constant disruption of the administration facility until they are engaged and are satisfied about a way forward.
“There will be constant disruptions from today onwards,” one student told this newspaper. According to him if they are not approached by any official by tomorrow, they will be visiting their respective offices. “If we cannot hear from a government official then we will take the fight to them,” he noted.
