The University of Guyana (UG) through its Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Law, is denying allegations circulating on social media sites, that named functionaries of the central government and the University of Guyana were involved in altering the grade point average (GPA) of one law student from 4.0 to 3.9 to enable another student to be designated the Best Graduating Student of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme for 2024.
In a release yesterday, UG categorically stated its intention to refute certain “untrue and defamatory” publications on social media, declaring that “This did not happen.”
The release went on to explain the established procedure for the determination of the GPA of any student of the university, including any student of the Department of Law.
The LL.B. programme requires an enrolled student to satisfactorily complete 31 courses, save for courses from which a student is exempted. For each course, three credits are earned and the grade awarded to a student is recorded on a marksheet for the final or supplemental examination or final assessment. All marksheets are sequentially approved by the Head of Department, the Faculty Board, and the Registry. A numerical value is assigned to each grade, and this is reflected as points. The aggregate of the points determines the overall GPA of a student throughout the programme and at its conclusion. Prior to graduation, the academic profile of each student is reviewed by the Academic Board which consists of every academic head in the entire university – 81 persons.
According to UG, the assigning and aggregating of the points and the calculation of the GPA are functions of the Examinations Division of the Registry, carried out with the aid of software in the Student Records Management System of the University. This system automatically calculates GPAs based on grades and scores achieved by each student throughout their academic careers. Every single student profile is reviewed before graduation by the entire Academic Board sitting as a Board of Final Examiners.
Further, awards of special prizes are governed by a special Awards Committee presided over by the Committee of Deans. Their recommendations are then sent to the Academic Board before graduation for further scrutiny and approval. The foregoing process does not attract any unilateral input or decision from the Vice-Chancellor of the university or any functionary external to the university. As such the release emphasised, “The sequence leaves no room for collusion, as the scores are all verifiable by reference to the marksheets. Any suggestion to the contrary is misconceived and should immediately cease.”
It was also pointed out for the Graduating Class of 2024, the Best Student earned a total of 966 points, which translates to a GPA of 3.9. There was a tie for the Second Best Graduating Student, with each of the two (2) students earning 964.5 points, which also amounts to a GPA of 3.9. The top spot was determined solely based on the points earned towards the GPA.
“The University of Guyana subscribes to a strict code of integrity, which is enacted through a series of committees and checks and balances. These are designed to uphold best practices. The University takes very seriously any allegations such as those irresponsibly being shared in public and urges the public to consider all possible consequences of such actions,” the release added.
