Petrina Francis, Education ReporterUNIVERSITY OF the West Indies (UWI) students yesterday said the institution's decision to deregister and expel over 4,000 of them for non-payment of tuition is unreasonable.
They are calling for an extension of the deadline.
Oral Taylor, a first year sociology student, told The Gleaner that the pronouncement by the university to deregister students is unfair. He noted that while the society emphasises the importance of education, students are being penalised because of their inability to pay tuition fees on time.
Mr. Taylor said he would be affected because he is unable to pay his fees by the October 15 deadline, adding that he may have very little choice but to go back home and do farming.
INJUSTICE
One student charged that deregistering and disrupting their studies was nothing short of injustice. He suggested that the university implement a system where students can pay their fees over a period of time.
In the meantime, the Guild of Students is threatening to protest against the university's decision if the principal does not meet with them. Addressing journalists at a press briefing at the Mona campus yesterday, Damion Crawford, president of the Guild of Students, said, "If the principal should refuse to meet, we are calling on all students, whether or not you have paid to understand the difference between right and wrong and support the activities that we have planned."
ADMINISTRATION NOT YIELDING
Despite threats being made by the Guild of Students, the institution is pressing ahead with the plans to deregister those still owing fees.
Joe Pereira, deputy principal of the institution told The Gleaner that the administration is under the instruction of the Finance and General Purpose Committee and will be adhering to the instructions of deregistering students as of yesterday, and expelling them on October 15, if they are still unable to pay.
He noted that if the students are able to pay their fees before October 15, they will be reinstated. Mr. Pereira said that after the deadline, it would be too far into the semester to accept the students who will be given a leave of absence until they are able to pay the fees.
The UWI has been experiencing a $709 million shortfall as a result of a cut in the education budget.
