MINISTRY of Education Technical Facilitator Vincent Alexander has called out Dennis Adonis, the controversial “Editor in Chief” of little known online news outlet Guyana Guardian, for

seeking to discredit Texila American University and besmirching the name of the National Accreditation Council of Guyana.

Adonis, Alexander noted, is well known in Guyana for accusations of unsavoury and deceptive acts levelled at him over the years.

Only recently, Texila American University threatened to sue Adonis following the publication of an article on his news outlet it deemed ‘scandalous’.

The response of the university to the said article was carried by Guyana Chronicle, and subsequent to the publication, Adonis sued this publication’s editor-in-chief, Nigel Williams, Online Editor Fareeza Haniff, and Reporter Ravin Singh, claiming defamation. This was after an article appeared on the Guyana Guardian that viciously attacked the character of Singh, accusing him of taking bribes to write favourable stories of businesses.

The article in question published by Guyana Guardian about Texila American University seems to question the legitimacy of the university.

Alexander, in a release, said the local accreditation council is the legally authorised body responsible for regulating post-secondary and tertiary level educational institutions in Guyana, including the granting of registration, accreditation and related instruments.

“In the prevailing circumstance, the Ministry of Education would be remiss if it did not lend clarity in relation to the post-secondary and tertiary education landscape, which is being put at risk by these crafty and defamatory articles.

“The Ministry firstly wishes to reiterate that the National Accreditation Council (NAC), by virtue of the National Accreditation Act, Act No. 12 of 2004, is the body responsible for regulating post-secondary and tertiary level education in Guyana, and is the source of authentic information on post-secondary and tertiary institutions in Guyana. Much of this information is public and available on the Council`s website: www.nac.gov.gy.”

QUANTUM LEAPS
Alexander said the Ministry has observed that in the Guyana Guardian articles there are quantum leaps from the factual information which they rely on for legitimacy and the conclusions which they draw, that are oft-times erroneous. One such case in point, he said, is their article of Nov 25, 2016, in which the news outlet purported NAC to “have revealed that medical degrees issued by institutions in Guyana are only recognised if the degrees are accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM_HP). And since CAAM-HP has also confirmed that the Texila America University is not accredited, it is now officially confirmed that the medical degrees issued by that institution, along with several other offshore universities in Guyana, are not recognised anywhere at all”

Alexander said that while NAC has stated that “medical institutions…are required to seek accreditation from the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Services”, it also stated that “The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) of the USA recognises the authenticity of the quality assurance process of the National Accreditation Council, and accepts medical schools that are registered by the National Accreditation Council”.

And according to the National Accreditation Council, “Texila American University is listed with the ECFMG, which allows students and graduates of the institution to apply for ECFMG certification and the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).”

“This is but a sample of the Guardian`s conclusions. It is erroneous, at least, and may well be mischievous if their intellect and competence are to be assumed.

“It should be noted that in quality assurance parlance, terms such as registration, accreditation, recognition et al each has a specific meaning; results from different processes; and signifies different statuses. The Guardian seems to unwittingly or intentionally substitute these terms, one for the other, in pursuit of the predetermined plot of their articles,” Alexander contended.

He said that while the Ministry of Education does not hold a brief for the off-shore medical schools, and even the National Accreditation Council, in the national interest and in the interest of the reputation of the country, the Ministry found it necessary, through this one example, to expose the injurious and defamatory nature of the Guardian’s articles.

“Many of their conclusions are founded on illogicalities and (are) characterised by quantum leaps,” Alexander said.