By Devina Samaroo
An outgoing student of the University of Guyana (UG) is currently in a state of despair after missing the opportunity of a lifetime to further her studies at an internationally recognised university, owing to the failure of the UG administrative department to present the necessary documents in time for submission.
Nigel Gravesande
Renita Chanderballi, 23, majored in Biology and would be graduating with distinction in November.
She had applied to do her postgraduate degree at Leeds University in England in biotechnology with specific focus on agricultural crops in Third World countries and finding innovative biotechnological ways to combat the effects of climate change on local crops.
It was a dream come true when she was accepted into the programme in the first week of June. She was also awarded a partial scholarship.
Overcome with excitement, Chanderballi wasted no time in informing her lecturers and approaching the UG administration for her necessary documents.
But then it all went south from there; the obstacles kept rolling into a huge ball of complications that was rapidly tumbling downhill.
After losing her placement at the University, Chanderballi plunged into great depression; she cried for days, overwhelmed with a thousand emotions knowing that something so avoidable resulted in her missing a chance to pursue her dreams.
In a Facebook post that is going viral, the UG student expressed utter disappointment in the series of events that led to this immense heartbreak.
“I’m extremely disappointed and I feel cheated out of something I worked really hard for. But, of course, I must thank the admin staff at UG for robbing me of this opportunity. I’m not sure how this might help anyone but it’s a painful experience for me, because I had planned everything out and sacrificed a lot (especially financially) to get it all done,” she posted on Facebook.
Royal run-around
Chanderballi told Guyana Times on Wednesday that she was yet to complete her final year project at the time she received the offer from Leeds.
However, under the direction of her supervisors, she worked expeditiously to complete it.
“The faculty was extremely helpful, they set a day specifically for me to present my project and up to that point, and everything was done in a timely manner. However, the problem began where the Admin was concerned. Leeds needed to see all my grades and UG was refusing to give me the grade,” she stated.
Chanderballi said she approached the office since June, requesting her transcript and informing them of her situation.
The first problem was getting her grades and then it was getting her transcript and to be awarded her degree – all documents Leeds initially required.
She said eventually, after explaining her quandary to the University, Leeds was willing to accept just her transcript and proof of graduation.
Nonetheless, Chanderballi spent over two weeks on a royal run-around trying to receive these documents but to no avail.
“The sectors I dealt with during this time were the Faculty, the Assistant Registrar of Exams, Assistant Registrar of Student Welfare and the Deputy Registrar. The Dean of my faculty was so helpful; I don’t know how I can thank him. He was in his office some days at 5 and 6 in the evening making calls for me and at any point where the Administration was giving me a hard time, I called him and he tried his best,” she stated.
“The Assistant Registrar of Student Welfare was very helpful when she learned of my situation. She provided documents efficiently. However, her staff was very reluctant. If she was not there, they would tell me what I’m requesting could not be done or something or the other.”
She added that the Deputy Registrar and Assistant Registrar of the exams departments were her “biggest” obstacles.
“One of the most frustrating things I dealt with was getting confirmation from AR Exams staff. If I needed something to be done, they said the process takes two weeks and if I asked if it can be done sooner, they would say I have to check back or come back in or call; which meant that instead of giving me a definite date or even a time period to work with, I was forced to come to campus almost every day,” she explained.
The student understands there are protocols to be observed, but she strongly believes more could have been done.
“I understood there was a process involved and I tried hard to respect their rules, but everyone was just dragging their feet. I was sent from one office to another.
