Govt., Opposition differ on rollout of free university education

Jan 05, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton has criticised the President Irfaan Ali administration’s stance on providing free university education in Guyana.

Norton highlighted the administration’s reluctance to immediately ensure free university education for Guyanese, despite the country’s history of offering such opportunities without oil money. Norton accused the current administration of neglecting the University of Guyana community, viewing them as a political tool rather than a national priority. He condemned President Ali’s announcement of a gradual implementation of free education by 2025, insinuating that this delay until a potential election year was unjustifiable given the resources available in the national budget, which reached over $900 billion.

The Opposition Leader denounced the government’s proposal of imposing work requirements on students during their studies as a condition for removing tuition fees. He firmly advocated for students’ right to focus solely on their studies without such burdens, promising a swift reversal of this policy if the opposition gets into power. Norton also pledged to write off all loans for students working in Guyana post-graduation and proposed monthly stipends of up to $50,000 to support students pursuing tertiary education.

Moreover, Norton outlined plans to significantly increase funding for the University of Guyana, aiming to elevate it to a regional academic hub by fostering research, improving facilities, offering competitive wages to staff, and attracting global talent.

The Opposition Leader stressed the importance of the university as a key driver of social and economic development. He pledged a commitment to collaborating with the university administration to enhance its role in data-driven policy-making, applied research, and strategic planning, positioning the institution as a pivotal force in Guyana’s progress.

In conclusion, Norton emphasized that the Opposition’s commitment to the University of Guyana was not merely political rhetoric but a fundamental part of their vision for the country’s development. He pledged to rectify what he termed a “tragic error” of neglecting the institution and promised to work closely with both the staff and student body, considering it their duty to uphold their “contract” with the University of Guyana and the nation at large.

During his press conference on Thursday afternoon, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo responded to Norton’s assertions regarding free university education. He began by referencing the Opposition Leader’s focus on the University of Guyana. “So Norton wants free university now and they had the opportunity to do lots of things,” Jagdeo said.

He brought attention to the administration claims of lacking oil revenue, juxtaposing this against a substantial increase in taxes during the previous government’s tenure, amounting to nearly $80 billion.

Highlighting past decisions made by the Opposition regarding fee increases at the University of Guyana, Jagdeo defended their promises, rejecting the notion that fulfilling electoral commitments amounted to mere political gimmicks. He stated that their dedication to honouring pledges made to the electorate, dismissing the characterization of their efforts as gimmickry.

Jagdeo delved into a detailed recollection, reminding of their commitment to addressing free university education within a five-year timeline, akin to initiatives such as the children’s grant. He explained the strategy behind their approach, initiating a free scholarship programme concurrently while gradually moving towards the goal of free education.

“We said we will make University of Guyana free. But we started the scholarship, our free scholarship programme power parallel to that. The President mentioned that we’ll start off by looking at those who are already paying and we want to find a mechanism to ensure that they don’t have to pay back the sum but at least we can get some productive use. We’re thinking all sorts of things,” the Vice President noted.

The Vice President touched upon considerations of mechanisms to alleviate the debt burden for those currently paying tuition. Exploring scenarios such as migration and the potential benefits for those contributing to the nation, he then emphasized the planning to ensure equitable application of debt write-offs. Jagdeo defended the government’s timeline and approach, positioning the initiatives already in progress as steps toward achieving free education.

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• administration, Bharrat Jagdeo, opposition, President Irfaan Ali, Vice President

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