Students told to pay or don’t graduate

Over 50 students of the Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI) were warned that they will not be allowed to graduate on January 25 and as such will receive no certification, until their tuition fees are fully paid.

Students were informed of this in an e-mail from TTHTI registrar Ingrid John dated December 19.

Following a meeting with the institute’s administration yesterday, the students have decided to seek legal advice after the Christmas holiday.

John’s e-mail said that although the students were “academically cleared”, the institute’s records indicate that financially they have an outstanding liability.

Students and parents told Newsday that sums owed range from $8,400 to $16,000, which have not been paid by the Funding and Grants Administration Division of the Ministry of Education, despite several requests made on the students’ behalf.

The e-mail said for the students to receive their certificate at the graduation ceremony or otherwise, “all arrears must be liquidated for the course of study by January 12, 2018.”

Apologising for any inconvenience to the students, John said, “all our requests on your behalf for payment of GATE (Government Assisted Tuition Expenses) have been ignored.”

The students were advised to enquire about the non payment of the GATE funding from the director of Funding and Grants Administration Division of the Ministry of Education.

Alternatively, the students were told, “You are free to pay the outstanding sum due and owing to the institute for your course of study on or before the said date so that you may be cleared to graduate.

Newsday was yesterday unable to contact the Chief Executive Officer of the TTHTI as he was reported to be in several meetings yesterday.

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"Students told to pay or don’t graduate"

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