THE University of Guyana has postponed opening of its academic year 2012/2013 from August 27th to September 10th, consequent to the industrial action undertaken by both students and staff members during the 2011/2012 academic year; and because of the recent release of the Caribbean Secondary Education Examination (CSEC) results. A press release from that institution stated that the UG administration has no intention to extend the semesters, but would rather do internal rescheduling to accommodate conclusion of classes and the holding of examinations by December 21, as had originally been scheduled.
The opening ceremony scheduled for August 24 has been rescheduled to September 7, and deadline for registration has been deferred to September 3.
University of Guyana Students Society (UGSS), President Duane Edwards has advised that the society welcomes the decision to postpone commencement of the new academic year, since the society believes that the university was not prepared for the August 27 opening.
A press release from the UGSS stated: “It is our view that the postponement gives the University a two-week period to adequately prepare itself for a somewhat seamless and uneventful opening. It also, hopefully, will lessen the period of disorientation faced by the students in their attempt to ascertain their grades for the last academic year (a large percentage of which has not yet been published), and to know if they will have to repeat any courses, carry lesser loads this semester, or make any other decisions which depend on them knowing their grades.”
The UGSS has, however, said it does not believe the decision was right for the UG administration to lay majority of the blame for postponement of classes on “Operation Rescue UG” – the industrial actions of last year which were a collaborative effort of the UGSS, the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association and the University of Guyana Workers Union.
The UGSS said it believes the “real” reason for the postponement is that “there is a gross shortage of teaching staff, as a result of the failure of the Appointments Committee to meet, hire and re-hire teaching staff; and further, that the Appointments Committee cannot meet because it is a sub-committee of the currently defunct University Council.”
The UGSS further noted that the slothfulness of the university to produce grades in a timely manner interferes with the registration process, which in turn affects income (by means of tuition fees) for the university.
The press statement also stated that there is massive repainting work now ongoing at UG, which would have rendered the beginning of classes impossible because of the health risk involved in classes being carried on in such circumstances.
Asked whether he thought two weeks adequate to resolve all the issues, Edwards advised that the UGSS is hopeful that all will be in place and ready for the September 10 commencement of classes.