University of Guyana (UG) Tain campus’s former best graduating student boycotted yesterday’s convocation ceremony after a grade mix-up by the Examinations Division stole that honour from him and elevated his runner-up to valedictorian.

Ronley Kendall had been told by the administration that he was the best graduating student at that campus. However, almost two weeks later, he was told that there had been a grade change for his runner-up Imran Ally, which placed Ally ahead of him. Kendall then wrote to Vice Chancellor Dr James Rose challenging this move by the administration as well as the lecturer’s decision to change Ally’s grade for a course from a ‘B’ to an ‘A’.

Kendall told Stabroek News last week that Campus Director Dr Parsram Thakur had officially advised him that the profiles, confirmed by the academic board and ratified by the board of examination, showed that he had the highest Grade Point Average (GPA). He said Thakur called him on November 26 and later met him and informed of the decision.

According to Kendall, Thakur told him, “Mr Kendall I would like to officially confirm you as being the best graduating student for the Berbice campus and I congratulate you.”

Kendall said he asked the campus director if he was sure and was told, “Yes, the profiles were confirmed by the academic board and ratified by the board of examination.”

Kendall said he was overjoyed and on leaving the presence of the director immediately contacted relatives and informed them of his achievement. “I even called my relatives from abroad requesting their presence on graduation day since I was told by Dr Thakur that I would have to give a speech come December 15,” he told this newspaper.

But while Kendall was making his preparations on December 7, Thakur called him and told him that he was no longer the best graduating student owing to an appeal made by another student, Imran Ally, for a grade change in a particular course.

The Public Management degree student contended if that the profiles were “confirmed” by the academic board as the director said then they should not have been changed.

Contacted, Thakur confirmed the details as provided by Kendall. However, he said, the other student had queried his grade on a course over a year ago and the lecturer had written to the Examinations Division for the grade change. “When the academic board made the decision, the grade change was not included