Georgetown: Education Minister Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine says cash-strapped University of Guyana (UG) should explore revenue-generating ideas, as means of bringing additional resources into the institution.
The University of Guyana is financed mainly by a subvention from the Government and from students’ tuition fees. Recent incidents at the University have revealed that the institutions’ total income has been dwindling, and for some time now has been inadequate to cover its operating costs. This has resulted in issues relating to salaries, National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions and income tax deductions, default payment to utilities services, and neglect to routine maintenance works.
Minister Roopnaraine holds the view that the simple answer, for the lack of resources at the University is not the Government’s pumping of more money into the campus, “although Government probably should.”
“What it means though, is that University has to begin to embark on its own income-generation activities,” the Minister said, during an exclusive interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA.) He posited that the institution should be looking at areas such as consultancies, fund raising and other services.
The Education Minister is also thinks that the standards of the University have undoubtedly fallen. He pointed out however that what “Universities essentially put out, depend on what they take in.” Expounding on his earlier assessment, Minister Roopnaraine clarified that “if you have problem with the school system, in terms of what you are delivering to the University, you cannot expect the University to produce gold at the end of four years.”
The University of Guyana does not come under the remit of the Ministry of Education; instead, it is run by a Council. From the Ministry of Education and the Government side, Minister Roopnaraine recently appointed two representatives on the Council: Vincent Alexander and the Permanent Secretary (PS) Delma Nedd. Minister Roopnaraine believes that the Council needs to be autonomous and free from Government influence. “I have been very wary, I have sat on the University of Guyana Council for many years, and I know that the last thing that the University Council needs is to be government-directed.”
He however expressed the view that what the Council needs is to be strengthened, in the sense of the persons who are put on the board. “We are putting excellent persons on the Council, and I know that the private sector has very good and active people who serve on the council.”
The Education Minister explained that the Council must now implement a plan of action to transform the fortunes of the University. “There have been reports after reports, written on the University. We are not short of reports; what we are short of at the University is implementation,” the Minister said. “The recommendations are there, we need to implement,” he added.
Coming in October, the likelihood exists that the Council will be looking for a Vice Chancellor, as Professor and Principal Jacob Opadeyi is expected to leave the University. “This means that we will have to go through an entire process of advertising and getting applications, and so we can choose someone for the University; one who will make a difference (at the University),” Minister Roopnaraine said.
One thing that the Minister is very pleased about is his recommendation to the Council that Professor Nigel Harris be appointed Chancellor. He noted that he can only recommend, not appoint Harris, as this is the right of the Council … to make the appointment. The Minister however expressed the hope that the Council, at its next meeting, will appoint Nigel Harris as the Chancellor at the University. “It would lift the spirit at the University and begin to move us to where we want to go,” stated Minister Roopnaraine.
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