Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo addressed speculations and criticisms regarding the GOAL (Guyana Online Academy of Learning) program and its relationship with the University of Guyana (UG).
He emphasized that there should be no direct comparison between the two, as they serve complementary roles in the country’s development.
Dr. Jagdeo highlighted the significant scale of development in Guyana, necessitating an increase in human resource capacity.
Both UG and GOAL, along with other training programs, are viewed as essential components to meet this growing need.
Contrary to allegations of sidelining UG in favor of GOAL, the Vice President stressed that GOAL complements the university.
He pointed out that the allocated four billion dollars for UG is primarily a subvention, and the government is also writing off potentially 18 billion dollars in past loans.
This means that students who took loans earlier will not be required to repay them.
Dr. Jagdeo reminded that it was the opposition, during their time in government, who increased university fees by 35 percent.
The current administration is committed to addressing the complex matter of improving the quality of education at UG, with a focus on the quality of tuition and degrees.
If necessary, better remuneration for faculty will be considered.
In response to questions about salaries at UG, Dr. Jagdeo highlighted that improving education quality involves a more nuanced approach beyond salary considerations.
The government will review the matter, prioritizing the overall quality of education, and if warranted, adjustments in remuneration will be made.
The Vice President concluded by emphasizing the government’s commitment to ensuring that the degrees obtained from UG are recognized worldwide.