Over the last several years, there have been reports of inadequate or fraudulent educational institutions making their appearance in Guyana. Several of these have offered tertiary and professional certification while others have operated even at the secondary school level.
These “institutions”, and they are little more than an attractive name and one or two rooms, attract students who trustingly part with their money. These trusting young people soon find out that the institution which they joined is recognized by no one, little or no teaching is done and there is no administration.
Sometimes the founders or organizers of such institutions disappear with the students being fleeced of their money. Sometimes the cry of “fraud” is raised and the organizer, for there is usually one, is investigated by the Police and the whole affair fades away and is soon forgotten.
The young people who are victims of such educational fraud are simply persons who have a very laudable desire to study and learn, young people who are ambitious and who are an asset to their country. In Guyana today, there is no institution or persons to whom such young people could turn for advice and guidance and so they fall into the hands of the fraudsters.
There are a number of measures that could be taken to protect young people and ultimately the educational reputation of the country.
In the first place, the licensing authorities must fully investigate all applicants who wish to set up educational institutions here or to do educational work. They would be assessing the financial strength of the person or institution, the numbers and quality of the teachers and educationists available and the premises from which they would operate. In this process, the National Accreditation Council would have a primary role.
A career guidance NGO or a governmental or semi-governmental office should be established to guide and advise young people who may be exploring the courses they should pursue. Such bodies could work closely with the sixth forms or the upper school in general of the secondary schools.
Young people must also be encouraged to explore the Internet to find out about educational institutions and to take advantage of scholarships and other assisted training courses which may be on offer. Such exploration my help them to choose a career and may give them a fuller understanding of educational quality. Graduates of the University of Guyana may also find this a useful exercise. Indeed, I have known one of two UG graduates who succeeded in being awarded scholarships to good European institutions from their exploration of the Internet.
There is a National Accreditation Council which had been established in 2004 but very few citizens are aware of its existence or even where it is housed. The remit of the National Accreditation Council is very comprehensive: “It is the principal body in Guyana for conducting and advising on the accreditation and recognition of educational and training institutions, providers, programes and awards, whether foreign or national and for the promotion of quality and standards of education and training in Guyana.”
If the Accreditation Council and the other offices whose duties and responsibilities are to maintain high standards in education and training were more proactive, many of the difficulties which are now encountered would not have occurred. And this includes fraudulent educational institutions and exploiting young people and fleecing them of their money.
The Consumer community look forward to the National Accreditation Council and the Ministry of Education in particular, maintaining and improving the standards of Education and training and preventing fraudulent or inadequate institutions from attempting to establish themselves in Guyana.
