Dear Editor,
Has the University of Guyana really deteriorated into “Jagan’s night school”?
What has happened to Dr. Jagan’s vision of a University “providing trained human resources for national development; developing and defining values and goals and achieving them for Guyana; facilitating rapid economic and technological development and establishing a social order grounded in the values of freedom, social justice and equal opportunity; producing a national consciousness and a national identity”?
I hate to invoke his spirit but “O’ Papa, everything is not all right” with UG.
In the decade 1953 to 1963 the PPP Government proudly boasts of creating an educational revolution for the better. What can they boast of during the past decade- a revolution of University for the worse” with faltering academic standards, squalid physical conditions, shortage of qualified staff, inadequate lecture space, poorly equipped laborotaries, and a library of outdated editions”?
President Jagdeo proudly boasted of having over 700 of our young and brilliant minds being developed in Cuba and India. Others are even petitioning for a University of India in Guyana. If the PNC Government in 1971 were contemplating reintegrating UG into the University of the West Indies, what is the PPP Government doing by their wanton abandonment and “don’t care a damm” attitude towards UG? Dr. Jagan’s dream is withering in shame and disgrace. These 700 plus students in Cuba and elsewhere may be enjoying free tuition, but what is the cost of their living expenses? How much is the Government remitting every month, how much are parents and relatives sending? Some one please do the math. All that money, if invested in UG can be a tremendous boost to bringing the University back to life while students can bring the communities back to life through work-study and research programmes.. Moreover, instead of scholarships, why don’t we ask Cuba and India to give us qualified staff, books and equipment?
Dr. Jagan showed us the way. Now it is up to us all to resolutely call on this PPP/C government to rekindle his vision of a University that bears testimony to the indomitable spirit of a people that is inimitably Guyanese, and produces graduates that impact our national ethos into the international community.
Yours faithfully,
Shawn Mangru
