Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Friday reacted to the announcement by the University of Guyana (UG) that it has decided to increase tuition for the new school year, noting that in order for one to receive quality education, he must pay.
Jordan said while the situation might not be a favourable one for students at this
Finance Minister Winston Jordan
time, the fact is, if quality education is being sought, then they must be able to pay.
“At the end of the day, you have to appreciate. If you want quality education, we have to pay for it. There is nowhere in the world I believe, people are paying for education, can they pay what they are paying at the University of Guyana.
The Minister said it is irrelevant what one’s per capita income or the amount of money being earned is. In the end, he said if a university wants to attract quality people, it must pay to draw such.
The University of Guyana on Thursday officially announced that it had begun the process of seeing an overall 35 per cent increase in tuition fees at the institution, with its first round of 15 per cent. Beginning at the new 2017/2018 school year, students will be required to pay this increase.
The UG council also decided to incrementally increase the tuition fee by 10 per cent for the 2018-2019 academic year for all students, and a further 10 per cent for all students for the 2019-2020.
The decision, it said, came following an examination of the University’s projected budget deficit, the pressing needs of the University, and projected alternative income streams.
According to UG, the council’s decision will be applied to tuition fees for all programmes and for both continuing students and new students for the 2017-2018 academic years. However, it said, input from the Student Society was considered, leading to an incremental roll out, where continuing students will now pay an increase of 15 per cent, and new students will be required to pay 18 per cent more.
At the same meeting also, the council reportedly decided to incrementally increase the tuition fee by 10 per cent for 2018-2019 academic year for all students, and a further 10 per cent for all students for 2019-2020.
At the same meeting, the council also authorised the UG Administration to commence negotiations with the two University unions for remuneration packages based on what the University could afford.
Salary increases
Meanwhile, speaking on the demands for salary increases by staff members of the institution, Jordan said Government has done its part and it is now for the University to find ways to satisfy that and other demands.
“There will always be demands for wages, salaries, utilities and other things. This has to come from some place, if to meet those demands,” Jordan said.
According to him, the University is largely financed by Government. He said when the new Administration took office; it increased the subvention to the University by some 63 per cent to allow them to pay a substantial increase in salary for lecturers and other staff. He said while the fund was substantial, it did not match the amount that is usually paid to lecturers even in Guyana at some other places. He said this year, staff is seeking a 15 per cent, however Government was only able to give what it can, at this time afford. As such, the University has to look for other sources of income to pay lecturers, he said.
