A FORMER staffer of Solomon Islands National University (SINU) has called for a Commission of Inquiry into the Solomon Islands National University (SINU), saying the mess created by players in the affairs of the nation’s only tertiary institution warrants a Commission of Inquiry.
“A Commission of Inquiry is the only way to get to the bottom of what is going in there,” the staffer who requested anonymity, told Solomon Star.
“It is the only way to save SINU. There is no other way,” the staffer said.
He said the Commission of Inquiry should start with the recruitment of Ganesh Chand as Vice Chancellor. That really is the problem which has since multiplied.
“SINU’s finances and procurement process should also be put under scrutiny.”
The call for a Commission of Inquiry comes amidst revelation that the University – created only eight years ago – is facing an acute shortage of lecturers as a direct result of mass lay-offs of academic and non-academic staff, allegedly without considering the impact.
“The shortage has and continues to impact on the students’ learning. The students have and continue to openly complain that they are not getting quality service for their money.
It comes also at a time when the University’s enrolment has dwindled – from an estimated 8, 000 students at the beginning of the year – to just 2, 000 or so students in Semester 2.
Insiders have revealed that the Accounting Department is the worst hit with only one (1) fulltime lecturer, who is also the Head of School as well as the Head of Department of Accounting. This is the direct result of a mass termination exercise undertaken by the SINU Management.
“How can one person handle all these at the same time and expect to provide a quality service,” the insiders asked.
In the Management Department there are only three fulltime lecturers – one (1) is a current lecturer whose contract was renewed and two (2) others were part time lecturers in Semester 1. They have now been recruited as full time lecturers following the mass termination of others. The Economics Department too has suffered with only two (2) fulltime lecturers plus one (1) other new recruit. The new recruit was also a part time lecturer in Semester 1 of this year.
The former staffer said SINU is in a bad way and only a Commission of Inquiry can get to the bottom of the problem, created largely by the recruitment of Ganesh Chand as Vice Chancellor.
“Authorities must now step in or we will lose the institution. Right now it is like a patient on a drip. Unless a major surgery is undertaken now, we risk losing it all,” the former staff said.
Source: Solomon Star
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