The Biggest Budget Ever. Budget 2022 is the first ‘oil budget’. It is the first budget using revenues from the sale of Guyana’s oil since the nation became a petroleum state. However, noticeably missing from the Budget 2022’s presentation was any move to deliver on the long promised tuition free access to the University of Guyana.
The Constitution of Guyana says in article 27 – “Every citizen has the right to a free education from nursery to university as well as at non-formal places where opportunities are provided for education and training.” This Constitutional requirement was fully implemented until 1994 when the PPP decided to reintroduce tuition fees, against the wishes of the public.
The Natural Resource Fund (NRF) being emptied by the PPP to fund the 2022 budget. There was widespread expectation that there would be some move in the direction of returning to this constitutional mandate. But in Budget 2022 this was not the case.
In a recent press release, the Alliance for Change (AFC) made a signaled call to the PPP regime. “The Alliance For Change calls on the PPP Government to immediately abolish fees at the University of Guyana. As an oil producing nation, the AFC demands that priority spending be on education. In this context there must be no fees or costs for persons wishing to pursue higher education at our premier tertiary education institution.”
The PPP continues to resist both the words of the Constitution and mounting calls from both the Opposition and civil society. The regime stubbornly stand by their decision to not abolish the tuition fees and provide a high quality, free education at UG.
More, In The Ring.
