Former UG students to be eligible for debt write-off

Former students who have not signed up for a student loan but owe the University of Guyana (UG) will also be eligible for the debt write-off programme.

This was revealed by People’s Progressive Party General Secretary Dr Bharrat Jagdeo at his weekly press conference held at Freedom House.

“Once they owe the University of Guyana, then they are eligible for the write-off, too. They don’t have to have a loan at the bank or [at] the student agency. If you owe them, you’re eligible for the write-off,” Dr Jagdeo explained.

This clarification comes on the heels of the government’s announcement of the student debt write-off program.

During the budget presentation, the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh, announced the initiative, expected to benefit more than 13,000 Guyanese.

Subsequently, President Ali announced that tuition fees would be abolished at the University of Guyana and all technical institutions, including the Carnegie School of Home Economics and the Guyana School of Agriculture.

Further, when asked about the government’s intention to upgrade the quality of education offered at the University of Guyana, Dr Jagdeo, who also performs the duties of Vice President, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to not defunding or underfunding the tertiary institution.

“There will be a commitment, at a minimum, to supply resources beginning January 1 that is no less than what they have now,” he pointed out.

However, the General Secretary explained that the government would fully provide “all” of the resources and would look at increasing the funding.

Dr Jagdeo called on the administration of the university to ramp up its efforts to improve education delivery.

“We also need a management seized with [a] sense of urgency…the Council at UG has to push for better quality education and better use of the money…we have to get output for it. More efficiency and better-quality tuition for the [students] who go to UG,” he explained.

Potentially, the Ministry of Education will have to consider contracting experts from abroad to support the work of quality improvement at the institution.

“I’m hoping the Ministry of Education now would play a greater role on quality, bringing in people from abroad,” the General Secretary pointed out.

He made it clear that the government will provide several opportunities to Guyanese to ensure that the country has access to higher education. These opportunities will also include the provision of online programmes like the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme.

Through that programme, more than 27,000 Guyanese have been awarded scholarships to study at several international academic institutions.

Before assuming office, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) promised in its manifesto to provide free education at the University of Guyana if elected.

This commitment, among many others, has already been fulfilled before the final year of the PPP/C government’s tenure in office.