President Dr. Irfaan Ali that from January, no student will have to pay any tuition fees at the University of Guyana (UG) and the body’s student society President, Tirishatha Semple hailed this move as “monumental.”
“For me personally, it is a very impactful announcement,” she said during an interview with the News Room on Friday.
She added, “It creates an opportunity for those not financially stable to now get the opportunity to come to the UG and achieve a higher, well-known education.”
This initiative is set to benefit about 11,000 current students and will cost about $8 billion.
This initiative, announced by President Ali, is set to benefit about 11,000 current students and will cost about $8 billion.
For the year so far, about $203.7 million in student loans has been written off. About 346 students benefited from this debt wipeout, which was the first step in a gradual plan to make university education free locally.
In December last year, President Ali said the government would deliver on its promise to make university education free and will undertake a step-by-step approach from 2024.
As the government makes this tertiary education free, Semple said she hopes a key focus remains on keeping the university as a competitive academic institution. To achieve this, she said the money allocated to the university must be enough to cover all expenses.
