Submitted by Politically Correct (to alert the President of the Guild of this vital information)
This letter is not to slander persons in the Ministry but merely to assist the Guild in fighting the sudden increase in fees for Barbadian students. I will explain how to address this legally below from paragraph 2. The Ministry of Education, Science Technology and Innovation is a puppet Ministry which is suffering at the hands of the International community because of Globalisation. This is a typical encroachment on our sovereignty as a Nation. Changing a name does not mean that you are in alignment with countries that truly have science, technology and innovation based research saving the country money, creating new jobs etc. Minister Ronald Jones is quoted in the advocate as saying “The State does not have money and that citizens must stop being selfish and depending on Government for the State has no money (ADVOCATE 13/9/2013)
Every country listed here in Canada, South Africa, Denmark, Finland and more. I draw to your attention the UWI HANDBOOK and REGULATIONS for each FACULTY, as the first set of evidence and the quality assurance agency in Barbados which promotes quality assurance in higher education for you to use in your arguments. We will now see the power of politics and the role it plays.
I am almost ashamed to say that no one from the Guild of Students has pointed this out to the Public or to other well known educational pundits and the Minister of Education. As a citizen of Barbados and a past student of the same University of the West Indies I feel obliged to share this information and tools with you.
According to the South Africa HIGHER EDUCATION ACT 101 OF 1997, Quality Assurance Agencies are to:
1) audit the quality assurance mechanisms of higher education institutions; and 2) accredit programmes/institutions of higher education;
The Quality Assurance Agency in Barbados also has a similar mandate. They are also the same entity who granted accreditation of the UWI Cave Hill campus in 2013. There information is found here at www.bac.gov.bb and the Act is found here http://www.bac.gov.bb/Downloads/BAC%20Act.pdf. As part of the accreditation procedure, all student handbooks under international best practice procedures are legal documents between the student and the educational provider.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1) Please have a mature innovative law student interpret these documents.
2) DOWNLOAD AND MAKE COPIES OF ALL STUDENT HANDBOOKS SO THAT CURRENT STUDENT POPULATION IS COVERED!
3) Use the Complaints procedures which the Quality assurance agency would have endorsed during the accreditation procedures for the University. All institutions who have been accredited have a complaints procedure. Please have all enrolled students who have grievances utilize this process. YOU WILL NOT HAVE A VALID LEGAL CASE WITHOUT IT. If the University does not have a process it means that it is a loop hole on the Quality assurance Entity’s side.
4) Have enrolled parents and students call the Quality Assurance Agency to advise on how to find the Complaints procedures at the UWI Cave Hill Campus.
5) After you have submitted the written complaints to the University, utilize the complaints forms found here http://bac.gov.bb/Downloads.htm under Complaints.
A sample of the form reads “I would like to make a formal complaint to Barbados Accreditation Council about ……………………………………………………… (name of education or training institution) Address:
The information on page 2 under “Type of Complaint” will build your case
“Cost information or procedures relating to financial matters“ and
“Course information, publicity or advertising material.”
6) The supporting document to mention will be the STUDENT HANDBOOK for all students currently enrolled at the start of their programme these should include 2012-2013, 2011-2012, 2010-2011, and 2009 -2008. This is to ensure that all students who entered 3 years ago who are completing a 4 year degree are included. These students must all be undergraduate students.
The basis for this legal ground will only stand for existing students. The Government, the University and the Quality assurance Agency will have printed literature which state that the Barbadian Student’s cost will be met in a designated programme and period. Therefore, you have a legal standing. It is a right of every student currently enrolled to pursue the studies under the current status as “free”
In addition to this, all students who have re-entered programmes from 2013 can pay the current amenities fee for the 4 year programme, once the accounts/bursary section accepts the payment in advance they will have no choice but to let the student continue as per the contract between the student and the University.
The 2013 Regulations Handbook found here for students entering this year is, pages 35 of 192 and 59 of 192.
General REGULATIONS PAYMENT OF FEES STATE THIS ALL FEES AND OTHER CHARGES ARE PAYABLE IN ADVANCE ….. THE IDEA IS TO REMAIN IN GOOD STANDING…..
I also copy statements from the 2009, Faculty Regulations that govern their year of entry – available on the Faculty website and the UNDERGRADUATE REGULATIONS AND FACULTY OF LAW LIBRARY REGULATIONS 2011 – 2012 “These regulations govern the programmes of study for all students entering in 2010/11. Students who started programmes in previous years are governed by the regulations in force in their year of entry which can be found online at www.cavehill.uwi.edu/law
Furthermore, The Government and the University Will Continue To Change Fees Annually. This Is Not In Accordance With Quality Assurance In Higher Education Internationally Or Locally. This Will Not Give Students Enough Time To Prepare Financially Every Year.
Do you know that the Tuition is always linked to inflation? We are copying the UK! THAT IS NOT INNOVATIVE….. LET the MINISTER know, that Bajans are not the ones who are squandering the money but they are! In the UK, the students paid tuition for new entries into the system and not the existing enrolled student. We are independent but are yet followers and it is shameful to see that the Minister and the committees established have advised of this in a Budget.
There are other ways to ensure Universalities are funded. I will contact you in a few weeks as I hope to see you have the media highlight this and USE WELL KNOWN LAWYERS THEY SHOULD provide to you a PROBONO SERVICE….. After all they too have benefitted!!!!!!!
TRUST ME WHEN I SAY this could all be done without lengthy meetings and marches, based on FACTS!!!!
If you don’t take your stand now, the Government will come to you and us in 2015 to say there will be an increase in the fees again. Any student entering the programme should be given a contract i.e. a handbook stating the fees for the length/duration of the programme for undergraduate studies, BASED ON INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE QUALITY ASSURANCE GUIDELINES. The concept of a programme is 3 to 4 years. After that, students handbooks normally state they pay for any re-sits, failures, extra courses etc. We will not have any control over this but to ensure that it is written and that students are protected from the un-imaginative minds of this country who have benefited from free education prior to us.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.