UWI says students knew from June 2016 the deadline to pay fees

THE MONA campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) says there is no “merit” to students’ claim that they were not given notice that failure to pay fees would end with them not being able to sit exams.

According to the university, the first notice was issued in June 2016, more than two months before the start of the school year in September.

Last week, the Government said it would be helping dozens of students, including some on their final semester, who are at risk of not sitting final exams because they owe fees. That assistance is separate from a $100million allocation for needy students that will come on stream in September when the 2017-2018 school year starts.

The Guild of Students has said that, “While we understand UWI’s stance, the inability of students to access education due to financial constraints trumps all other reasons.” The UWI, Mona, Debating and Public Speaking President Akeela Marin has also criticised the university.

Responding, the Mona campus said in a guest column published today that a notice to all finalising students concerning the deadlines was first sent in June and “subsequent reminders were sent in September 2016, November 2016, January 2017, February 2017 and March 2017 (final notice)”.

“The claim by students that they were not advised of the regulations, or of the various deadlines for payment of fees, is, therefore, without merit”.

All fees, UWI said, are due and payable at the start of the academic year. However, students may pay per semester, and if they can’t pay in full, they are encouraged to enter into an official payment plan.

“Subsequent reminders were sent in September 2016, November 2016, January 2017, February 2017 and March 2017 (final notice). The claim by students that they were not advised of the regulations, or of the various deadlines for payment of fees, is, therefore, ” without merit.