The University of Guyana (UG) has reduced the Facilities Fee for the academic year 2020-2021 to $12,500 for the current semester instead of $25,000.
The University, in a statement on Friday, said that its decision to reduce the Facilities Fees which was introduced in 2014 will take effect from mid next week and will remain in force until further notice or action is taken and approved by the University’s statutory bodies.
“The University of Guyana at a meeting late Tuesday night considered a proposal designed to bring additional relief to its new and continuing students as the new academic year begins online and the University continues to deliver in safe mode. In addition to a slew of concessions already granted and services already brought on stream since COVID-19 hit in March 2020, students will now pay GYD $12,500in Facilities Fee instead of GYD $25,000 a semester for the current (first) semester of the Academic Year 2020-2021.”
This takes effect from mid-week next week and stays in place until further notice or action as approved by the University’s statutory bodies.
Facilities Fees covers laboratory equipment, reagents, glassware and any other supplies required by labs; classroom improvements; internet access to all on campus and applications to support online environment; free medical and psychological services and supplies for all of 2020; books and other materials for the library – such as subscriptions for journals and e-books; improvement of facilities for sports (all sports have been suspended for this semester but it should be noted that Sports Day did occur in Academic Year 2019-2020); office furniture and equipment (only for student benefits); repairs and maintenance; improvement of facilities conducive to the learning and delivery of education (more required now with need for physical distancing); hosting of the presentation of Final Year Projects (still happening and given the move from Final Exams to continuous and final evaluations, this requires continuous expansion of assessment and evaluation mechanisms for an online setting); and, student insurance costs (50 per cent).
The fee also covers a modest Student Unions Dues and refundable Cautionary Deposits.
UG has advised also that those students who have already paid the full Facilities Fee for the Academic Year 2019-2020 and the Academic Year 2020-2021 can be refunded the difference by writing to admissions@uog.edu.gy and copying to bursary.fees@uog.edu.gy requesting that the difference be refunded or applied to their Facilities Fee for next semester or subsequent academic years.
“The University has not discontinued teaching any student who could not pay in the last semester. New students are asked to utilize the support mechanisms available through government scholarships and the Government of Guyana Student Loan Agency,” the University said.
