Allegations have emerged regarding the University of the South Pacific (USP) charging students for face-to-face tuition while classes are being conducted online. There are also claims that full-time staff members are being replaced by consultants from India.
Rosalia Fatiaki, the general secretary of the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff Association (AUSPS), brought these issues to light on the fifth day of the USP strike. Members of AUSPS and the University Staff and Support Staff Union (USPU) are protesting the leadership of Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia, citing poor management and other grievances.
Concerns have been raised about the quality of education at USP, prompting parents to urge the government to take action. Students in the psychology program have expressed the need for face-to-face interaction, despite the course being fully online.
Fatiaki indicated that the unions have reported instances of full-time staff being substituted by online staff from India, particularly highlighting that the agriculture program at the Alafua Campus in Samoa is being taught by these consultants.
Biology PhD student and part-time tutor Bindiya Rashni shared her situation, noting that since July, the sudden termination of her supervisor, Tamara Osborne Naikatini, has left over a dozen students uncertain about their graduation timeline. Rashni emphasized the essential role of their supervisor as a leading expert in the Pacific Islands, stating, “There is no leading biologist to sign off our thesis.”
Rashni, who was on track to complete her studies this semester, has also taken on teaching responsibilities at the request of her former supervisor. She expressed frustration over the lack of expertise in their program, stating, “We had almost wasted a semester battling for little things here and there. The expertise is what we lack, and expertise is what defines a PhD quality.”
In response to inquiries about the situation, USP stated that the two concerned unions can only raise grievances as outlined in the approved strike mandate. The university noted that other issues mentioned during the strike are not related to staff terms and conditions included in the official mandate and therefore cannot be commented on.
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