GOAL "severs" ties with University that says those ties never existed

The Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) today announced that is has severed ties with UK based University of Staffordshire. But the University has stated that it never had any ties with GOAL.

In a recent statement, the University also indicated that it also had no relationship the International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC), which was the company that GOAL has used to streamline its scholarships with the foreign universities.

In a statement today, the GOAL Secretariat said following the finalization of a partnership arrangement with the ISDC, approximately 1,400 Guyanese were awarded scholarships to study at the University of Staffordshire in August last year.

However, GOAL said it became aware in January that there were challenges affecting the delivery of academic programmes under the arrangement.

The Secretariat, headed by former University of Guyana Vice Chancellor, Ghanian Professor Jacob Opadeyi, noted that multiple efforts including meetings were held with students on the issues faced.

Students have been raising complaints about the mismatch of the courses, access to the learning management systems and inaccuracies in course matrices that were being delivered.

However, GOAL said the situation later became contentious between the University and the ISDC over the partnership, although no partnership agreement has been made public to support GOAL claims.

“At no point prior to this had either institution formally notified GOAL of the breakdown in the collaboration or its implications for our scholars,” GOAL said.

Further, GOAL noted that it attempted to directly engage with the management of the University of Staffordshire, but those attempts were ignored.

“It is our understanding that legal representation of both parties is currently negotiating a resolution. Since this dispute came to light, GOAL has provided affected scholars with opportunities to transfer to other partnering Universities, “GOAL noted.

While staying clear of the concerns raised about ISDC, GOAL would only say that the company is actively engaging another five universities in the UK that it hopes will accept awardees and recognize their credit from the University of Staffordshire.

The Opposition has long called on the Government to come clean about the GOAL initiative, saying that billions of dollars are being used on the online university learning initiative that could have been pumped into the University of Guyana.

The Government has touted GOAL as one of its flagship initiatives and has boasted that thousands of persons have already received certification through the programme.

On Sunday, the Stabroek News reported that another British University has indicated that it has no agreement with GOAL, although the University is among a list of Universities that GOAL has been awarding scholarships for persons to further their studies.