The University of Guyana (UG) hosted a dynamic day filled with innovations at its 61st commencement activities last Friday, Aug 30th. Among the excited class of 3,700 freshmen were three young people who exceeded expectations by acing the CXC examinations a full year or two ahead of the normal cohort. Two of the students were accepted into the Computer Sciences programme in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and one into the Faculty of Engineering and Technology. Among the three is one girl. This is the first year that three such students have been admitted; however, it is not the first time the University has made special dispensation for students under the statutory age of admission, which is 17 years, through the office of the Vice-Chancellor in the history of the University. In its sixty-one-year history, this special circumstance has arisen at least 25 times.
However, what is interesting about this year and the past few years is that the University is considering the cases of younger and younger students, and also more of them, than in previous decades. For instance, at least one person below the age of 17 has been admitted over the last four years, mostly into computing sciences. In fact, one such student, a female admitted at 15 in 2020, will soon be graduating with an excellent grade point average.
The matter is not a simple one, however, since systems created for adult learners must make special provisions for students who are so young. In this regard, the Faculty of Natural Sciences, through Dean Prof Abdulla Ansari, Head of Computing Dr Andresa Morris, and Assistant Dean Dave Sarran, along with their teams, have been exceedingly supportive and focused not only on the technical abilities of the students but also on their social and developmental well-being as they seek to integrate them into the post-secondary academic culture.
So far, those admitted over the last few years, around the average age of 15, have adjusted well and are excelling academically. This is not surprising since the University has been systematically working on two problems around the education of “special needs” children. On the one hand, through its internationally acclaimed lab school launched in 2021, The Early Childhood Centre of Excellence (CDB-UNICEF), headed by Dr Lidon Lashley, which teaches and studies children from age 3 months to 7 years; and on the other hand, through its highly innovative RASSR summer programme (2021, GGI), run as a funded project by the Greater Guyana Initiative, which works with students from 9 years old to 15 years old.
The administration of UG sees “special needs” as children with learning challenges as well as those who are considered academically or otherwise gifted. The RASSR programme seeks to accelerate students from all ten regions of Guyana who are gifted in math and science to enter college or university at least a year ahead of their peers.
This is why, when the requests come for students who are younger than normal and who have attained the academic credentials needed to enter the University, the Vice-Chancellor and Deans in the faculties who have to receive the students do not balk or shy away. “What we do to identify and support gifted children is as important as what we do to support children who have challenges with learning. It is important that the gifted at 9 do not become bored at 11, and then disruptive at 13, and lost at 15. While we must not force children to perform above their capability, if they can and want to, we must find a way to support, nurture, and celebrate this in a safe and healthy way. Geniuses can come from amongst us too. This prospect delights us at the University of Guyana!”
The University, however, cautions that it’s not only academic grades that are assessed during the interviews and decision-making process. The Vice-Chancellor will rely on a diverse group of developmental psychologists, quality assurance staff, and discipline specialists to make recommendations, which are considered in the final presentation of the cases. Some disciplines are, at the moment, still difficult to introduce such young students into. For those who make it through and graduate by age 18 with bachelor’s degrees, the work with them is just going to be the beginning: “We will have to find the next level of endeavour and interest to plug them into. These considerations are part of the University’s strategic considerations even now,” UG’s Vice-Chancellor said.
The formal Commencement Ceremony, which was hosted at the institution’s Multipurpose Auditorium, Turkeyen Campus, was a culmination of a week-long series of orientation sessions that allowed students the opportunity to directly engage with senior officials of the university, faculty and service units’ representatives, and student clubs, among others. [UG Press Release]
