Calls Two-Year Delay ‘Completely Unacceptable’
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
TURKEYEN, GREATER GEORGETOWN — Following escalating student protests and public scrutiny over a protracted grading crisis, University of Guyana Chancellor Sir Ronald Sanders has stepped in, ordering immediate corrective intervention over the unreleased Criminal Law I and II grades from the 2024/2025 academic year.
Describing the prolonged administrative delay as “completely unacceptable,” the Chancellor issued a formal apology to affected Bachelor of Laws (LLB) students, with particular emphasis on final-year candidates whose professional advancement and applications to regional law schools have been placed in jeopardy.
Chancellor Intervenes Following Student Representation
The high-level intervention was triggered after the institutional crisis was formally elevated to the university’s titular head.
- Student Union Escalation: The matter was brought directly to the Chancellor’s attention on September 17, 2026, by University of Guyana Students’ Society (UGSS) President Tirishata Semple.
- Transitional Team Tasked: Chancellor Sanders referred the dispute to Transitional Management Team Chairman Professor Stafford Griffith for investigation and prompt resolution.
- Directives to Protect Students: After being informed on September 18 that the grading issue had only been partially rectified, Sanders issued further instructions mandating that students be protected from academic and career damage.
- Institutional Support to CLE: The University of Guyana has been directed to issue certified explanatory letters, interim academic transcripts, and official institutional confirmations directly to the Council of Legal Education (CLE) and regional law school admissions boards—including the Hugh Wooding Law School—wherever transcripts remain incomplete.
- Administrative Probe: An internal administrative review was ordered to establish the root causes behind the multi-year delay and implement structural mechanisms to prevent a recurrence.
Law Society Cites Severe Harm Across Multiple Courses
While the Chancellor’s intervention spurred the submission of examination scripts—leading to some students receiving their results while others await formal posting—the University of Guyana Law Society (UGLS) emphasized that systemic grading issues persist within the department.
UGLS President Delon Willis formally raised alarms over the institutional logjam, noting that the delay in releasing the 2024/2025 Criminal Law marks had stretched across more than two academic years, making it one of the longest unresolved grade disputes in the faculty’s history.
The student society stressed that the administrative failure has caused:
- Severe Psychological Strain: Extended academic anxiety and uncertainty regarding graduation standing.
- Career and Scholarship Roadblocks: Inability to finalize scholarship applications, employment verifications, and postgraduate admissions abroad.
- Additional Pending Grades: While some Criminal Law grades were unofficially circulated or submitted, the Law Society revealed that final scores for several other core courses—including Public International Law (LAW 2209) and Real Property Law II (LAW 2208)—remain outstanding.
The Law Society demanded a formal departmental apology, transparent explanations detailing the systemic bottlenecks, and ongoing collaboration with the Department of Law to ensure all remaining course grades and pending script reviews are concluded without further delay.
