See below for a statement from the University of Guyana:
The University of Guyana is obliged to clarify the current situation in response to the plethora of calls in regard to the recent and ongoing public high-level pronouncements in Guyana on the question of free tuition at the University of Guyana.
1) The University of Guyana welcomes and supports quality free tuition at the University
and wherever it can be sustainably offered in our country.
2) The University has made no other determinations subsequent to those already made in
regard to this year’s graduation planned for November 7 th to 9 th and November 16 th, 2024.
3) However, recent developing conditions surrounding interpretations by students and others
about free tuition has produced some conditions which must be addressed urgently.
4) Some of these matters concerning implementation modalities and the paying over of fees
owed by prospective graduates and continuing students to the University are being
assiduously addressed by the appropriate offices of the University and the Government of
Guyana.
5) This is so that all eligible students can graduate on time and the operations of the
University for which fees have always been needed can continue uninterrupted until
January 2025 when this first semester officially ends.
6) In support of the Government of Guyana’s generous promises of free tuition, the
University has extended itself for the past four (4) years, by allowing thousands of
students to attend and successfully complete their studies without fully paying fees.
Therefore, there could be no routine reason why the graduations of students already
planned would be withheld by the same University which has nurtured them for all this
time.
7) However, revenue from fees cover more than 50% of the University of Guyana’s
operating expenses and are always desperately needed towards the end of the year.
8) The University of Guyana therefore wishes to assure its stakeholders that all possible
avenues are being pursued to ensure the operations and best interests of everyone, most
importantly those of our 3500 prospective graduates are satisfied in the coming week.
