New UG vice chancellor working to improve conditions at UG

Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Jacob Opadeyi has confirmed that all is not well with the country’s premier tertiary institution but says his energies will be channelled towards ensuring that the present state of affairs is remedied.

Speaking briefly to Guyana Times International last week, Professor Opadeyi indicated that his administration is committed to and will be actively pursuing the improvement of the current remuneration and wage structure for lecturers and staff.
He added that there is much-needed work to be done to enhance the infrastructure and other aesthetics at the university’s Turkeyen campus. Professor Opadeyi noted that the university’s administration will be aggressively engaging the United States government, private sector organisations and civil society in an effort to garner support for the development of the university.
The professor emphasised that the university is in need of much financial assistance.
“We cannot rely on government alone because this is a university of the world and we all have to do our part,” Professor Opadeyi said. He also added that he was in favour of a lecturer exchange programme between Guyana and universities in the United States, noting that he was piloting an internship programme where students can enjoy the benefits of an exchange programme as well.
“There are many things available to us and we want to fully exploit all these avenues,” the vice chancellor said. In recent years, the university has been plagued by many problems including a staff shortage, lecturer qualifications, deplorable infrastructure, classroom space and campus security.
Students have been repeatedly complaining about the state of the university and the lack of effort on the part of past administrations to deal with pressing issues. In April 2012, the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) took industrial action, spending several weeks in protest of a severe staff shortage, inadequate facilities, a lack of funding and the inability to attract qualified professionals.
Association President, Dr Patsy Francis said the university had been reaching out to government to speak to several issues, such as governance and administration, organisation of the university, human resource management, emoluments, maintenance, recognition and accreditation, research and community engagement.

She had also revealed that they had prepared a dossier which had attracted more than 1000 signatures and was intended to catalogue a multiplicity of issues affecting students, staff and the operation of the University of Guyana.
“So we need to establish a platform where the public, the private sector, government, and the university can form crucial partnerships to fund research, the delivery of technology, student services and other necessities,” Dr Francis said.
The state of the laboratories in the science and technology faculties remain a sore issue, causing students at the university to question the reason behind the sloth in accessing a US$10 million grant from the World Bank for the upgrade of laboratory facilities on the campus.
Students believe that the repair of the science and technology laboratories would improve the standards of education delivery available and greatly relieve the situation faced by them.