The University of the West Indies has said that it has not had an increase in tuition fees in 21 years and that its request would have aligned tuition fees at the St Augustine campus with the other regional campuses.
However, in light of the Government's position not to increase fees, UWI said it will have to operate with considerable reduction to its finances and, hopefully, with minimal disruption.
The following is UWI's statement:
On June 2, 2022, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago announced that it would not support the proposed increase in tuition fees submitted by The UWI St. Augustine Campus to UWI Council for programmes covered under Campus Grants Funding. The Campus Executive Management team recognizes and empathizes with concerns expressed, especially as it relates to students and prospective students. It was for this reason that the decisions to propose fee increases was made with careful consideration of the impact to all involved.
It was reported yesterday that Campus costs had increased because it has grown beyond what its resources can bear. Higher enrolment was a major cause for increased costs. More than a decade ago, Government imperative to increase the tertiary participation rate (defined as the number of tertiary level graduates in each age cohort, as a percentage of the total number of persons in that cohort in the population) was based on the principle that tertiary level education is a key factor in moving from developing nation status to first world status. The sector responded, fuelled primarily by the current GATE programme and its predecessors.
Over the last six years, The Campus has reduced its actual operating expenditure for Campus Grants programmes by $115 million (net of provisioning). Overall staff costs have essentially remained unchanged, despite increased cost due to settlement of union agreements. In fact, the Campus has successfully operated below budget for the past five years and has been commended year on year by technocrats at the Ministries of Education and Finance for its good fiscal management. For the past 4 years, the Campus has been managing with a correspondingly reduced TT Government subvention of $517.1 million. As reported yesterday, it will be in deficit this year due to the cut of funding by 10%.
The provision of quality internationally accredited higher educational services to the region is costly. UWI St. Augustine fees have not increased in some 21 years – it was last changed before many of its students were born! UWI St. Augustine fees are currently the lowest in the UWI system and among tertiary education institutions in the Caribbean. The proposal that went before the Government and The UWI seeks to aligns its tuition fees with those at other Campuses. Tuition fees for the upcoming semester will therefore remain the same, consequent to GORTT’s position. The Campus will be required to operate with considerable reduction to its finances and, hopefully, with minimal disruption. The documentation requested by GORTT, in preparation for a discussion for an increase as of academic year 2023/2024 is actively in progress as the Campus has been working to improve its operational efficiencies in the past few years and will continue to do so. As it has always done, The UWI St Augustine Campus will continue to serve its students and society to the best of its ability in line with a globally recognised, world-class standard of higher education. Many of its graduates have been able to land well-paying jobs or enter graduate programmes locally and internationally. This is particularly so for graduate engineers, for example, given the Faculty’s internationally accredited status. We look forward to welcoming our new and returning students to campus in September.