The Editor, Sir:

As a graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, I wish to express my deepest dissatisfaction with the above institution as regards the "policy" they have for a degree upgrade.

I graduated in 2003 with a diploma in Fine Arts after four years of study at the Edna Manley College.

I recently received a letter signed from the school which stated that the 2003 graduates were entitled to do a degree upgrade, but that we need not attend classes as we already had the credits. We are required, however, to pay over $100,000 (the usual fee as students attending classes) to get our diplomas upgraded to degrees.

What are we to make of this? I would like to know if after paying four years of expensive tuition and put in hours of hard labour to achieve the diploma, am I not entitled to get my degree upgraded free of cost? Or am I to go and humbly purchase my diploma?

The University Council of Jamaica and the Ministry of Education need to address this matter.

I am, etc.,

NATIESHA FACEY

pearhands@yahoo.co.uk

Debbie Court Apt

Central Avenue

Kingston