THE atmosphere was tense when University of Guyana staffers and students met recently for consultations on the proposed increase in tuition fees.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi who was the main presenter found himself in the line of fire, facing intense interrogation, as staffers and students demanded higher salaries and better working conditions in the wake of the proposed increase in tuition fees for the first time since 1994.
While Opadeyi did not concede to all their requests, he did promise to pursue some of their demands.
The Vice-Chancellor also maintained that the institution is holding fast to their proposal pegging fees at US$1,000 per student for the academic year, so the new tuition fee would be $210,000 rather than $127,000 which they pay at present.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association, Dr. Patsy Francis, who chaired the morning session of consultations with staff, disclosed that employees were demanding a 60% increase in salaries.
The Vice-Chancellor stated also that the institution intended to ask the Government to increase its subvention to the publicly-owned institution.
Students at the consultation held in the George Walcott Lecture Theatre (GWLT) demanded assurances that the level of teaching and learning conditions would be improved in a given timeframe. Opadeyi gave the assurance that things would change for the better at the institution, emphasising that the UG administration did care about the welfare of students and staffers.

IMPROVEMENTS
Among the planned changes are a review of the university’s curriculum, improvements to the laboratories, free internet access, use of Information Communications Technology to deliver instructional content and a new library.
While the Vice-Chancellor acknowledged bad management of the institution in the past, he assured students that they will see significant improvements in the months to come, following an increase in the fees.
Students and staffers whopped and applauded in approval as Belizean law student Glenford Denison put the Vice-Chancellor under intense questioning as to whether the institution could not have come up with a better plan other than increasing tuition fees.
Denison also demanded that a copy of UG’s financial status be made available to justify increasing tuition fees. He also requested that the Vice-Chancellor present to students a report assessing his performance at the institution.

(By Alex Wayne)