I support an investigation into GOAL
Mar 20, 2025
Dear Editor
I know the current trend right now is to question the GOAL programme due to the recent revelations of the partnership with the ISDC and Staffordshire as well as Liverpool Universities. This is all understandable, especially those who would have dedicated their time and energy towards what they thought was a legitimate academic pursuit. Far be it for me to condemn anyone for doing so.
However, I write to the point of the GOAL programme to be subsumed under the University of Guyana, a point which was made by several political and academic commentators in the newspapers and social media. The issue with this is that the University of Guyana operates as though it does not respect people’s time and effort. I have observed many students expressing dissatisfaction with the UG about the ever-changing timetables which are apparently not finalised before the semester starts, there is a long and convoluted sign-up process (my own experience), and the times for exams and assignments as well as classes make it seem like the University of Guyana requires the majority of us to quit our day jobs and pursue a degree full time. Obviously, this is not feasible for the majority of us who are working yet ambitious enough to pursue a degree to look to elevate ourselves.
The thing I noticed these commentators is that the majority of them are alumni of this University and are basically advocating for the GOAL programme to be shuttered so that the people who live far away from the two campuses are put at a disadvantage. It makes the people who are unable to afford even the passage to go to these far-off places to have to burden themselves with tons of debts just to travel or to do without.
Some of them may say that they make the sacrifice but I say that they did not understand the point of that sacrifice. Some of us have to crawl so that others can walk, some have to walk so that others can run and some had to run so that others can fly. That is the point of advancing one’s self. Not just to go further but also to give back to society, to encourage development and elevation. I wholeheartedly embrace GOAL and I believe that any programme by the government should be able to stand up to scrutiny, so if there is an investigation into GOAL, I would support it because Guyanese also need to be protected, and their time be well spent.
Regards
Amir Khan
(I support an investigation into GOAL)
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