None could deny the invaluable role an education plays in a child’s life chances. In fact, there are many who stand testament to this, being of childhood impoverished circumstances, developing through educational opportunities, to a life of economic and social mobility. And it’s for this reason, countries the world over have come to recognise, the positive correlation between education, economic and social mobility. So much so, that they’ve developed policies and practices that ensure universal free education, from nursery to university.
In fact, many of these countries aren’t blessed with our natural resources, nonetheless, have dedicated a significant fraction of their budgetary allocations to education. Where a case in point is Barbados, a country not rich with oil or minerals, yet has a policy of universal free education, from nursery to university. On the other hand, there is Guyana, a nation blessed with bauxite, minerals and oil, yet isn’t providing its citizenry, universal free education, from nursery to university.
That said, there was a period in our history, under the stewardship of LFS Burnham, when education was free from nursery to university. For Mr. Burnham being a visionary, recognised the importance of education, in personal and National development. So much so, that he enshrined universal free education from nursery to university, in the constitution, Article 27(1).
But with the ascendency of PPP to power in 1992, immediate was the contravention of the constitution, in which the citizenry was denied their rights of universal free education, from nursery to university. Which means, as a result of the exorbitant cost, many were denied the opportunity of a tertiary education. And those who pursued said education, faced excessively high student loans, that disproportionately disadvantaged the impoverished class.
Thus, it’s in this context we must examine the PPP pledge to reverse their unconstitutional act, which has burdened the impoverished many. For this we will remind, under the leaderships of PNC, tertiary education was delivered at no cost to the masses, without the wealth of oil. However, it was 1994, when PPP removed the provision of free tertiary education, which burden the citizenry with astronomical fees. Now rather than returning to the status quo ante, of universal free education from nursery to university, PPP had embraced a policy of phasing in free tertiary education.
But the reality is, PPP and their cronies are lavishing in the wealth of newly discovered oil, whilst we the impoverished many, are suffocating under a burdensome cost of living crisis. Which means, the masses are desperate for any financial relief, which includes the removal of this oppressive tertiary education fees. For this we must remind, the introduction of tertiary fee paying wasn’t done through phases, rather it was imposed on us with unconscionable immediacy.
Nevertheless, this we recognise, their self-aggrandising act of phasing out of university fees, is only out of political self-interest. In fact, even as they indulge in this unhealthy dose of self-aggrandising, it’s imperative they acknowledge, their action will only remedy their 1994 constitutional abuse. In which, burdensome tertiary education fees, were imposed on the citizenry, to disproportionately impact the impoverished mass.
And it’s for these reasons, the righting of this wrong is long overdue, and should be addressed with immediacy, rather than the nonsense of a phasing out of fee paying. For this the reality, the students weren’t afforded the privilege of phasing in of fee paying, rather they had the slavish imposition of exorbitant fees, of which many were forced to take burdensome loans.
Mark’s Take
The fact is, as it pertains to the developing world, there has always been a debate, on the social and economic benefits of a tertiary education. So much so, that in the late 1980s, the World Bank commissioned a series of studies, to ascertain if a tertiary education is advantageous. Where from these studies, it was established that economically, there is a positive correlation between a tertiary education and individual earning. And from a non-economic perspective, the studies also found, a positive correlation between tertiary education and social mobility.
Therefore, informed by these international, evidence-based studies, it can be concluded that, many impoverished citizens who were denied tertiary education by PPP, were denied their only avenue to economic and social mobility. And it’s for this reason, we demand an immediate restoration of free education from nursery to university, rather than a phased-in as articulated by the education denying PPP.
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This abridged article was first published as “University Fees” published January 14, 2024
