I doubt that there is anyone who has exhorted more people to attend the University of the West Indies (UWI) than I have. I believe in academic education.
I believe in the opportunities it creates. I believe in the competitiveness that it provides. I believe that it builds confidence. I also believe that the UWI located at Cave Hill is a good university and has made a great positive impact on this society.
However, I am beginning to think that the UWI might be losing its direction, moving away from its purpose, one which is critical to the development of a people.
I was in full agreement when the UWI approached the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) about allowing them into the competition at its highest level.
Of course, I was thinking that we would have a more educated cricketer, which could never hurt. But now it seems that UWI is using cricket to educate people rather than using education to help cricketers.
As far as I know, everyone who goes to a university (or college) to study, goes with the intention of completing a course of study that would give them a degree or some kind of diploma. This journey is designed to enhance their chances of a good-paying job, which by extension should ensure them living a “good” life.
This education costs money, which most of the time can be prohibitive. Some universities, especially those in the United States, where sports is big business and can actually bring in more money than any other entity, offer sports scholarships to attract good talent. These scholarships provide free tuition, boarding and meals in exchange for the student’s participation in the school’s athletic programme. The student must meet certain academic qualifications before the scholarship is offered.
However, there are other contingencies. The student must maintain an overall grade point average (GPA) of 70 per cent or 2.0 in order to keep the scholarship. Failing to do so could result in loss of the scholarship or part thereof. This would mean that the student could still attend classes but would now have to pay his or her way.
Clearly, you can see the emphasis on the course of study rather than the sport.
If the athlete does not live up to expectation in the sport, he or she can also lose the scholarship, but if they have the financial means, they can continue their education. Again you can see the education taking priority over the sport.
However, it seems quite different at UWI (Cave Hill) as it relates to its cricket programme. It appears as though some people come to play cricket first and they sign up to do a course of study in order to achieve their goal.
Some may say that there is no difference, for in both cases you play and you study. I say the difference is where the priority lies.
In this case the cricket is primary and the education is secondary. I am afraid that if one were to suffer it would be the secondary one. Then at 35 years old when cricket finishes with that cricketer, what will he do? He still has approximately 45 years to live. The primary function of universities has always been to provide education.
It might be argued that some education is better than none and if it helps the cricketer, all the better. It might even be said that cricket is only a small part of what goes on at the university, so why worry? I worry because if there is a big beautiful building of good repute and someone attaches a small whorehouse to that building, the whole building is seen as a brothel.
The university is supposed to be a place of higher learning. A place with high standards. I remember when the Cave Hill institution had a reputation of extremely high standards. The bar was quite high. Now it seems, like in most cases in Barbados, the bar has been lowered. Rather than make students work hard to reach the bar, we bring down the bar. No wonder the society is underachieving. Mediocrity is now at its flourishing best.
In the midst of all this, the UWI cricket team has been winning in the domestic competition and has been crowned champions several times. In my opinion the team wins, not because it is good, but because it is better than the rest. The general standard of cricket in Barbados is very poor. When this same team, which is then called CCC, plays in the regional contest, you see this difference.
Now, the BCA, probably realizing that these students are taking an inordinately long time to graduate from their “non-priority” course of study, has placed a time limit on them. I believe that the BCA probably also believes that because the students are taking so long to move on and thereby create space for others to come through, that they stagnate the development which they thought would happen with the advent of UWI into the top level of domestic cricket.
The UWI is enraged by this decision. It has the right to ask a question and to plead a case, but to threaten the BCA is totally out of place and smacks of arrogance. Are they bigger than the BCA? It’s the BCA’s competition and it makes the rules. If you don’t like them, find another competition or form your own. Have you ever heard of a college team threatening the NCAA? But surely, you have heard of the NCAA fining or banning a college team.
If the BCA were to become wimps and give in to the demands of UWI, it would not only set a bad precedent and appear spineless and scared, but it would also damage the spirit of the competition. Suppose all the other teams decide not to play against the UWI on a matter of principle?
Sports is about building character, not winning at all cost. Everything has limitations. Primary school, secondary school and tertiary school all have limitations. Life has limitations.
• Mac Fingall is an entertainer and retired secondary school teacher.
