I was wondering how long it would take for a good story to be published on UWI fees increasing. Today, the Jamaica Observer reported that UWI fees will be increased by 15% for Jamaicans, 3.8% for Barbados and 0% for Trinidad. Now let me just give my view on UWI fees in Jamaica.
Most people who attend the UWI have this sense of entitlement. In essence, they are entitled to a university education. In 1973, Michael Manley spontaneously announced that education should be made free up to the tertiary level. According to Seaga “By over-playing his hand he increased budget expenditure from $47,750,000 in the current year to $209,000,000 the next year”, to achieve this great feat. ”This wiped out virtually all the surplus that was to be derived from the bauxite levy which he secured in 1974 and set the stage for a necessary withdrawal from free education eventually”.
In 1985, students in Jamaica were required to pay a CESS fee of about 15%. Later on this would be increased to 20%. This means that taxpayers of Jamaica finance 80% of tuition costs without any form of bonding or giving back to the society. With the progressive devaluation of the Jamaican dollar, naturally the Jamaican dollar cost of tuition would increase.
In the past, UWI has been a little easy going on those who have not fully paid their fees in a timely fashion. Students took it for granted that once they paid up before their exam date, then all is well. I recall a few years ago in the not so distant past, the UWI laid down the law and decided it would adhere to their standard policy by requiring that students pay by a certain deadline or face deregistration. Taking the UWI for granted, most students couldn’t come up with their fees. So up comes the deadline and some people faced deregistration. The next thing the society knew was that the media was brought to the campus to watch how students were going to lock down the Mona campus and protest that they didn’t want to pay their fees. The freeness mentality is so prevalent in the society that people truly believe that if they don’t pay their fees, they must not be turned away, but continue to absorb education. Students are not satisfied that the Jamaican society finances 80% of their tuition, as they expected that the Government of Jamaica, in light of the protest, should cough up the balance on their behalf. So, UWI locked down for a day and we watched the horror of students using their bodies to prevent entry to the campus for those going about their lawful business. I remember Maxine Henry-Wilson rushing up to UWI to see if she could appeal to the administration by committing more of our tax money for a bunch of freeloaders. Unbelievable.
Well here it is again, fees are going up by 15% and already the griping has begun. Students have complained throughout the year about all sorts of things including the lack of sufficient security on the campus. Now, I don’t know of anyone giving away services for free, so clearly if you want to have additional services, it has to be paid for and hence it has to be passed on to the students. Running a university campus is an expensive business.
Here is my argument. Why do Jamaicans believe that it is their birth right to access tertiary education? From the last protest I sat down and pondered on this matter. What happened to planning on the part of students and their parents? It is no secret that the Jamaican dollar is devaluing with very little chance of revaluing, so why is it that people don’t plan for their future? If you look at commercials on First World TV, you will see where people are encouraged to save for their children’s future by way of starting a college fund. Why aren’t Jamaicans doing this? Please stop looking at Barbados and Trinidad and say that if they can afford a small or no increase, then why can’t we? Here is why….Trinidad has oil money and Barbados doesn’t have the same trade deficit as Jamaica.
I await another round of TV news showing us young adults protesting about UWI fee increase…….It will be interesting to see how any government administration will handle this matter….
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