I see where UWI students are asking for help from the Government - which means the taxpayers of this country - to cushion them in this time of economic difficulty. Understandable as this may be, I think the UWI students could perhaps better demonstrate the value of their education to the society by first engaging the university administration to see how operational costs might be reduced. With a reduction in cost of running the university, the students could thereby lower the amount they pay, as they pay a fixed percentage of the economic cost of their degree.

Let me place one idea on the table. Does the university really need to continue to have the amount of face-to-face lectures that it does? Reducing the number of face-to-face lectures would enable the UWI to lower costs by reducing electricity costs and this could even allow for reduction in the number of lecturers employed. Given the proliferation of offshore universities, UWI could rent/lease its classrooms to others.

Face-to-face lectures

A recent study in the USA found that students who listened to a podcast lecture, and took notes while they listened, performed significantly better on a test of the material than students who attended the face-to-face lecture. So the challenge to UWI students is that in cooperation with the school's administrators, you seek creative ways to reduce the costs of the product you are purchasing.

I am, etc.,

LUDLOW HARRIS

harris.kgn@gmail.com

Kingston 20