DUE to my past association with the University of Guyana, I cannot help but be genuinely concerned for this institution, and I am sure that by now, most Guyanese know that the University of Guyana has failed to render the quality of education it is obligated to provide them with. Serious adjustments are necessary if this university is to improve its standards as this country’s sole tertiary institution. But these adjustments have to start from the top levels of the university in order to effectuate positive changes in the quality assurance of the university, and successfully cater to students’ academic and welfare needs. Attempting to understand the limitations of the University of Guyana, I compared its standard to some other international universities and came to the realisation that UG is far from the prestige of these other universities. In fact, UG’s standards (or its lack thereof) represent more, those of a puffed up high school. This begs the question; is there a quality assurance document of the University of Guyana that is available for the public’s consumption?
When I use the term quality assurance, I simply mean that the services offered by this university must meet or exceed the expectations of its stakeholders, most importantly, the students. At UG, there is this lackadaisical manner in which all and everything is dealt with, especially as they relate to student issues. The University of Guyana spends the greater part of the semester, every semester shifting schedules. Students have grown accustomed to their timetables being modified every week at the beginning of every semester without being consulted first, and are forced to comply with these time-table that oftentimes, greatly puts them out of convenience. This of course, is just the icing on UG’s cake of mud compared to the registration process that must be endured in order to become a student.
As in the cases of other universities, are there external examiners at UG to render their services to students should the need arise? Are all course outlines required to have the dean’s approval? And the study material teach students (text); how updated and applicable are these books, and how relevant are they in gearing these students for practical realities of the everyday world? Are there extra-curricular activities to enhance out of classroom learning? Is UG churning out graduates that can actually get the better of the job market? Unfortunately, the university cannot give assurance of these qualities, and therefore, has failed its students and ultimately, has failed this country.
UG needs better administration. The students should insist on an administration that is about the students’ interests, not their own. As I have said before, students are the greatest stakeholders in UG’s affairs, they don’t owe UG’s administration a damn thing UG owes them the education they are paying to receive, before it becomes too late, these students had better realize that their future is what is at stake.