Allegations have emerged that the University of the South Pacific (USP) is charging students for in-person tuition while conducting classes online. There are also accusations regarding the replacement of full-time staff with consultants from India.
Rosalia Fatiaki, the general secretary of the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff Association (AUSPS), raised these issues during the fifth day of the USP strike. Members of AUSPS and the University Staff and Support Staff Union (USPU) are striking for the removal of Vice-Chancellor and President (VCP) Professor Pal Ahluwalia, citing claims of poor leadership and other grievances.
Fatiaki emphasized the need for parents to urge their government to address these matters, stating that the quality of education at USP is at stake. She noted that the psychology program is entirely online, despite students requesting face-to-face interactions. Additionally, Fatiaki reported instances where full-time staff have been replaced by online instructors from India, specifically mentioning consultants teaching the agriculture program at the Alafua Campus in Samoa.
Biology PhD student and part-time tutor Bindiya Rashni shared her concerns, recounting how the sudden termination of their supervisor, Tamara Osborne Naikatini, in July has affected their research. Rashni and her peers had to submit a support letter to the USP Council in hopes of reinstating Naikatini, who is regarded as a leading expert in the Pacific Islands.
With around 12 PhD students uncertain about their graduation prospects, Rashni expressed frustration over the lack of expertise available for overseeing their thesis work. She was expected to complete her studies this semester but is now grappling with the consequences of administrative changes, which have hindered the quality of their PhD program.
In reply to these concerns, USP stated that the two unions could only address grievances according to the approved strike mandate, acknowledging that other issues have been raised during the strike but could not be discussed since they fall outside the terms and conditions outlined in the official mandate.
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