UWI fees going up?
29 07 2007I 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….
so much to say about this. here are a few disorganised thoughts:
university education is critical for a country’s development and it makes sense for tax dollars to be spent on it. if you’re not going to spend tax dollars on education then just what are you spending them on?
most uwi students aren’t bonded and are therefore under no obligation to give back to society. i read recently that 60% of uwi-trained doctors end up working overseas but despite this it would be unfair to say that graduates who have benefited from subsidised education are not contributing to their society.
maybe what we need are creative ways for university students to become more involved in community service.
if you are going to make students pay directly for their education uwi would require a complete overhaul. right now uwi can be a frustrating and student- unfriendly experience.
maybe it doesn’t look good that young adults who are relatively privileged (in the sense that being able to access university education is a privilege) are complaining every time there is a fee increase but their parents pay taxes and after graduation they will too. also i’m beginning to come around to the belief that our education system infantilises our young people and is in many ways irrelevant. were i to turn back the clock some 7 years and were i to be expected to finance my own education i would want an undergraduate education that didn’t take 3/4 years (cut out the summer holiday and let me have my degree in 2 years), that included study abroad and foreign language training regardless of my major and that provided career counselling.
Eemanee….I know I can always count on you for constructive assessments (smile). One thing I want you to understand is this……ever since Michael Manley declared that UWI education should be free, every single student truly beleives that they are ENTITLED to it. Having gone to UWI for both my degrees I have to tell you that this “self-entitlement” is prevalent on the Mona Campus. Let me also say that it is not the goverment’s responsibilty to fund tertiary education. Look at North America…if you can’t afford it you simply cannot go! Can you show up and demand that you pay for one semester and taxpayers must pay the rest? Here in Jamaica, taxpayers pay 80% of the fee and I think that as a developing country they SHOULD BE bonded. The average UWI student gripes about the fees etc. Well I make no apologies….as a TAXPAYER myself……that these people cannot expect that the society must fund their education 100%!! That is what they want us to do. Jamaica and Barbados have 2 different sets of values. Your country went the education route in your post independence period….OURS DIDN’T UNTIL 1973. By that time Jamaica was up a creek! Your country places a high value on having an EDUCATED society. My society wants to live big….IMAGE IS EVERYTHING….EDUCATION MEANS NOTHING. I object to the attitude that most UWI - Mona students have….if you can’t afford college you can’t go…don’t visit the expense on the taxpayer….go and get a loan and PAY…..they will appreciate it more. Sorry….no country must finance any fees at a rate of 100%….in that case, we should ALL be able to attend….instead of the chosen few…don’t you agree?