Nkrumah-Young and Pereira

Two university administrators have expressed dissatisfaction with the private sector for not providing adequate support to tertiary-level students who seek to work and fund their education.

"In terms of what I call the private sector, I would not rate it too highly in terms of its involvement in support for university education," said Joseph Pereira, deputy principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus.

He added that there were exceptions, but in general, the private sector was not keen on getting involved. Pereira said the problem even extended to the placement of students for job experience.

more interest

Pereira, who was speaking at a Gleaner Editors' Forum at the newspaper's North Street office on Tuesday, pointed out that students were now showing more interest in funding their education.

"This year, I have seen a tremendous spike in students who are asking for time to pay (tuition), compared with the past, and for part-time jobs," he said.

At the forum, the deputy principal said one- third of the students at the university were part time, but while the interest was there, another hindrance was prohibiting their efforts.

"Many students are wanting to fund their education, willing to work. We just don't have the jobs on campus," he said. Pereira said, however, that the UWI's Placement and Career Unit, located on the campus, assisted students in obtaining a job during or after graduation.

However, he said the success rate was low.

Dr Kofi Nkrumah-Young, vice-president of planning and operations at the University of Technology (UTech), also said more assistance was needed for the programmes.

"We need much more," Nkrumah-Young told The Gleaner.

"We have a small amount; it's just a tip in the bucket."

Additionally, he said he would love the private sector to use the universities more for research.

"Instead of going somewhere else, bringing in persons from abroad, they can use the expertise of the university," he said.

Nkrumah-Young said there were two programmes at UTech that gave students and graduates work, and he had had good reviews from the students as well as the employers, but he would love to have more programmes like those being developed.

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com