More than 200 students graduated from the Tain, University of Guyana (UG), Berbice Campus on Saturday at the staging of the 12th convocation exercise. Addressing the ceremony, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony noted that since the start of the campus, there has been growth in the physical infrastructure, student population, staff and the range and quality of education offered.
He said that growth does not come without challenges, and it was pleasing to see that the challenges did not overwhelm the campus.
While highlighting the importance of the campus, Minister Anthony stressed that it represents one of the government’s primary mandate of making tertiary education accessible and affordable.
The minister highlighted that the government recognises that development could only be sustained if investments are made in the people.
“The late Cheddi Jagan had a mantra, that we must have development with a human face – meaning that we must consistently and continuously invest in our people and our people reciprocally must use their knowledge and skills for development; this has been a guiding principle of the PPP government,” he said.
This graduation comes at a time when the university is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The minister explained that when the concept of tertiary education was introduced, many felt that it was too ambitious, and that a small colony like Guyana must be shackled to external universities that are devoid of cultural particularities, that adumbrate paradigms of development that were alien to Guyana’s local needs.
Critics
Minister Anthony indicated that the critics refused to recognise that paid education to the external institutions was teaching the people to stay subservient to and to perpetuate the policies of the colonial empire.
He added that Dr Jagan always advocated for a better and equitable education system. He thought that the time had come for British Guiana to have its own university and with independence on the horizon that this university would help to mould the new Guyanese man and woman.
This also saw the PPP/ C government passing the University of Guyana Ordinance in the Senate on March 18, 1965 and then in the Legislative Council on April 9, 1963, bringing into effect the legislative framework for the establishment of the University of Guyana.
Humble start
In October 1963, the first 164 students started their classes at Queen’s College. At that time, the skeptics used a derogatory epithet to rename the institution instead of the University of Guyana – the “Jagan Night School”. “Today, you graduate from an institution that has a proud history, that has withstood the scorn of the critics at its conception, and has now grown to be the main provider of tertiary education in Guyana,” Minister Anthony said.
He pointed out that the graduating class is joining more than 15,000 other managers, scientists, entrepreneurs, engineers, agriculturalists and educators who lead and manage various national and international organisations to make the country and the world a better place.
In this regard, the graduates were urged to carry with them the philosophy of the founding fathers.
Minister Anthony lauded the lecturers for their efforts and working beyond the call of duty. He also applauded the parents for supporting and encouraging their children, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.
