Monday evening Mr. Mark Benschop, criminologist, social activist and host of “Straight Up” programme, flayed the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government for not living up to its 2020 campaign promise to respect the right to free education from nursery to university.
The Constitution of Guyana at Article 27(1) expressly states, “Every citizen has the right to free education from nursery to university as well as at non-formal places where opportunities are provided for education and training.”
Benschop shared that three years is a long time to remove fee-paying from the University of Guyana (UG), given the wealth of the nation, making known fee-paying continues because the government doesn’t care about poor people.
Guyana is now ranked among the fastest growing economies in the world. The World Bank predicted 34.3% for 2023 and the International Monetary Fund 37.2%. Over the past two years, Guyana’s GDP has jumped 98.6%.
The PPP/C and A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), in their manifestos for the 2020 General and Regional Elections, did commit to make the state-owned UG tuition free.
The right to free education from nursery to university was enshrined in the 1980 Constitution of Guyana, and granted by the People’s National Congress governments of President Forbes Burnham and President Desmond Hoyte. In 1994 this right was taken away by the PPP/C government, then led by Dr. Cheddie Jagan.
Persons have always argued that instituting fee paying at the UG was intended to make it difficult for or prevent persons from humble backgrounds from pursuing advanced education. With advanced education, persons have more opportunities for social and economic advancement.
Mr. Wayne Caesar, a guest on the Benschop’s programme, shared the refusal to respect the right to free education at university “just shows you the government is not about the people.” According to him, the Government of Guyana can afford to offset students having to pay for university education.
The PPP/C, apparently responding to mounting condemnation, promised free university education would be restored by 2025. General and Regional Elections are constitutionally due in 2025. However, trade unionist, Mr. Lincoln Lewis, has rejected the timeline. He told Village Voice News, a right must be upheld at all times and the denial of said right makes the PPP/C government a violator of rights
The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), APNU+AFC, various organisations and individuals have also been calling on the Government to remove fee-paying from UG. Some have made the argument based on constitutional right, Guyana being able to afford it, or a combination of both.
In the meantime Benschop has called on persons to play their part in supporting those who are experiencing financial challenges to pursue a UG education, and school supplies for the new school year. The Benschop Foundation has again, this year, distributed school supplies. As he appealed to others to do their part, however big or small, he reminded, “you never know, you may be helping a future doctor, president, lawyer.”
