A TOP OFFICIAL of the University of the West Indies (UWI) believes Barbados should have more than one tertiary graduate in every household, but they may eventually have to pay for their qualifications.
Professor Vivienne Roberts, deputy principal of the UWI Open Campus, expressed this view after she delivered the annual National Insurance Scheme (NIS) lecture, National Insurance And Higher Education: Pillars Of Nation Building, at the Frank Collymore Hall, The City, on Wednesday night.
In response to NIS director Ian Carrington’s invitation to comment on Government’s proposition that there be one graduate in every household, she said: “There should be, perhaps, more than one graduate in each household. . . .
“Sometimes when the statement ‘one graduate in each household’ is made, it perhaps conjures up the idea of one UWI graduate in each household.
“The graduates may come from the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, the Barbados Community College, [or] Erdiston Teachers’ College . . .
“There should be no limits to numbers or time. In my view, tertiary education is a lifelong experience and you take your pauses and get up and go again.”
Earlier this year, a firestorm of a debate erupted between UWI principal Sir Hilary Beckles and economist Professor Michael Howard, over Howard’s suggestion that UWI’s student intake be curtailed in order to reduce Government’s expenditure of about $500 million per annum on education. And on Wednesday KPMG advisory partner Brenda Pope asked Professor Roberts whether Government’s ongoing educational investment was viable.
Roberts said: “If citizens are educated, there are benefits that accrue to the country; Government investment in education is not being wasted. It might not be as efficient as some would like it to be, but it does have benefits. . . .
“I agree that at some point it may become necessary, as in the case of other countries, where students may be required to contribute something to their education.
“The UWI recognises that we cannot depend totally on sponsorship by the Government.
“So, over the years efforts have been made to raise funds through research, philanthropic giving from the private sector; it is recognised that this trend [free education] may not be able to continue forever.” (SR)
