| TAIN, CORENTYNE – In order for the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC) to truly realise its full potential, it needs to have partial or full autonomy from Turkeyen. This is the view of a source within the university. The spokesperson opined that almost all the attention is placed on Turkeyen and the voice of the Berbice Campus is hardly ever heard by those in authority. The source said it is a process of diminishment when one refers to the Berbice Campus as the Tain Campus.The Official indicated that the current arrangement between Turkeyen and Berbice does not work well. The current system and statutes is not designed to accommodate two campuses.Touching on the online registration process now in place, the speaker said it is not as efficient as it ought to be, “The system is slow. It is a move forward but it is slow.”Those desirous of pursuing programmes at the university and do not satisfy the entry requirements, especially in English and Mathematics are provided the opportunity by writing the University of Guyana Entrance Examination. This, however,Cheap Soccer Jerseys Wholesale, was held in July. The distribution of results for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination (CSEC) in Region Six started on August 24th. The spokesperson is of the view that the qualifying examination should be scheduled and supervised at the discretion of UGBC; after the results for the CSEC would have been distributed to truly cater for those who do not meet the criteria.According to the spokesperson, due to the system, some prospective students were refused entry for this year. The person cited an instance where a young man had nine passes with Grade One and a Grade five in English Language,Chuck Foreman Vikings Throwback Jersey, “This boggles the mind. Here is a child who could write the qualifying examination but could not because it had already passed since July, even before his results came out.”The Berbice Campus, being in the process of growth cannot afford to turn away talented students, but this has been happening. The source noted that the Turkeyen administration should be more malleable in some situations.The general belief that Georgetown is Guyana or the Turkeyen Campus is the entire university, must be erased, “There is the general need to decentralise the University of Guyana. The Berbice Campus is not a mistake as seen by some members of the senior administration. It was a very astute and necessary move.”According to the source, many are aware of the plight of the Berbice Campus but can do nothing, “The system is such that even if people want to help they cannot…they are bound hand and foot. The current rules and regulations do not allow for an expansion in the manner in which the university relates to the nation of Guyana. There are people in the Government who are aware of this. We need to stop the old brick system. Sometimes we are so caught up in our own self-interest that we don’t see what’s possible. Even the Director of UGBC has observed that UGBC comes last on all agendas in Turkeyen.”But the Director of the Berbice Campus, Professor Daizal Samad, is optimistic that the Berbice Campus is poised for takeoff. Work is in progress to upgrade some facilities while new ones are to come on stream. Soon a new structure would be erected to focus mainly on communication studies. This facility would deal with; inter alia, script writing, technical operations, internet communication and advertisement. This all falls under the 2010/2011 Capital Works Programme and is sponsored by the Government of Guyana. Work should get started by the end of this month.Professor Samad has his eyes set on having the Associate Degree in English Language offered in Berbice. This should have been included in the programme selection this semester but setbacks prevented it. A computerised writing center is also now being built. The Information Technology Center is to be upgraded. The library is being extended, with work commencing about six months ago. Other developmental projects on the drawing board include a gymnasium and a facelift for both Tain and Johns locations. Starting today, the Cyril Potter College of Education would be housed at Johns for the next year.The Region Six Administration made a promise to expand the tarmac at Tain to assist in promoting sports. The Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Frank Anthony has also provided equipment for volleyball, basketball, table tennis and cricket.Professor Samad indicated that over the past 18 months, the Berbice Campus became an integral part of the education process in Berbice as a whole. It plays a significant role in expanding the horizons of teachers, police ranks – through the Felix Austin College at Adventure, and other sections of society.“This has become the campus of the people of Berbice. It is not here to serve itself but to serve the people of Berbice. We are on the move. We have broken away from this tired ivory tower system and are now more concerned with serving the community.”The Director noted that they have been working with representatives of law enforcement and from primary and secondary schools along with farmers, the local business community and businesspersons in Demerara among others.“Nonetheless, there is much to be done. We need to restructure our programmes to include strong elements of internships,Richard Dent Bears Jersey, especially in social work, teaching, IT,Ken Dryden Canadiens Jersey, English and Math, Agriculture, and the Natural Sciences. We all know the problems that our society has with out-of-control drinking, domestic violence, violent conduct, and so on.” According to him, the students and staff of UGBC must play a part in researching the causes and potential remedies to these social ills.“If we do this, then we will gain the respect and substantial support of all parties,Jarrad Davis Jersey, local and international. I must say that our students are leading the charge in many ways. They are less concerned with complaining and more concerned with participating in the development of our Campus. They have painted at their own individual expense and energy the new basketball court; we have new clubs and societies, debating, culture, chess, for instance; our agriculture students are actively engaged in beautifying the Johns location, making it more research oriented.”He noted that a businessperson, Mr. Raju of Triumph on the East Coast of Demerara recently donated 200 ducklings for experimental purposes to UGBC.“The culture of complaining is still here and is deeply entrenched,Kyle Korver Hawks Swingman Jersey, but now we have a counter-prevailing wind that brings new ideas and cooperation. I think there will soon come a time when we shall be struggling to keep up with student participation, and I admire our students for this.”At the Berbice Campus there are two locations – the main one is at Tain (25 kilometers from New Amsterdam) and the other at Johns which is about a kilometer away from the first. The Johns facility houses the Agricultural and Natural Science Faculties. The Berbice Campus receives a Government subvention; the 2010/2011 year saw $216 million being allocated.To the credit of the Director and his team, the campus is a clean and friendly place which is always open to visitors and parents. The current administration has been receiving several kudos for its open door policy in terms of meeting with parents and other members of the community. |
