Some 9,000 students 3,000 of whom are new registrants, are scheduled to begin online classes at the University of Guyana’s Tain and Turkeyen campuses for the 2020-21 academic year.
The first day of classes is set for November 2.
According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) release yesterday, the resumption of classes was beset by several delays and UG Chancellor, Professor John Edward Greene, in the virtual orientation, thanked the batch of students for their “endurance” amidst the challenges posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“You decided that postponing the opportunity for further education was not an option because in a spirit of resilience and defying all odds, you and your families made whatever sacrifices were necessary,” Professor Greene told students.
He also assured them that the education sector would continue to progress both locally and internationally. “All over the world, [the] coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the future of higher education. It highlights the requirements for increased relevance and survival and revising the business module of many universities, including our own, while maintaining the mission to research, teaching and education,” the Chancellor was quoted as saying, while also voicing his commitment that the University Council will ensure Guyana is not left behind.
Vice-Chancellor, Pro-fessor Paloma Mohamed, reminded students of the university’s 2040 blueprint, which seeks to ensure that every household across the nation has at least one university graduate. She asserted that the university would continue to work toward this goal, despite unprecedented setbacks.
Director of the Office of Occupational Health and Safety, Olivia Parris-Bowen, informed students that UG would be continuing education delivery online to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
The DPI stated that except for the few instances where students may be required to visit the campus, there will be strict COVID-19 measures in place, including mandatory social distancing, use of masks, and regular hand washing and sanitising. Personnel and students may also be required to fill and submit pre-screening questionnaires before access to the campus is granted.
Late applicants have until November 6 to register while general and faculty orientations will continue virtually until Friday.
The University has relaxed all other deadlines, including change of registration, leave of absence, transfers, exemptions and withdrawals, the release added.
