NUSP to CHED: Pass Tuition Moratorium or Stop Existing

NEWS RELEASE
March 1, 2010

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), together with Kabataan Partylist and students from different public and private schools, stormed CHED to protest against the wave of tuition and other fee increase for the next academic year.

“We have attended tuition consultations and gathered data on tuition and other fee increases for the next academic year. Our findings confirm that education in our country is increasingly becoming inaccessible for the majority of the people. The rapid accession of tuition and other fees is staggering,” said Einstein Recede, national president of NUSP

According to Recedes, the tuition has increased an average of 90% since President Arroyo took power in 2001. For the next academic year, the NUSP projected an average of 10% tuition and other fee increase in schools all over the country.

“Many schools increase tuition and impose miscellaneous fees yet the students and teachers do not benefit from it. In the Philippine School of Business Administration (PSBA), for instance, we have received reports from the students that the yearly increase of tuition for the past five years did not translate to an increase in the wage of the teachers. This situation cuts across many schools in the country,” said Recedes.

For her part, Vanessa Faye Bolibol, NUSP secretary-general said “Whats the point of CHED’s existence if it cannot stop, regulate even, tuition and other fee increases? Kung di niya kayang pumanig sa interes naming kabataan at estudyante, ano siya kung ganoon, Commission on Expensive Education?”

“CHED still has not done anything substantial on the issue of tuition and other fee increase. Even the anti-no-permit no-exam, pushed for by the Kabataan Partylist, is not being strictly implemented by CHED. A lot of schools still practice them, especially those who hide behind their ‘autonomous’ status,” Bolibol said.

In February this year, tuition consultations were set in schools only to become venues for the passing down of administrative decisions on tuition and other fee increases..

“A series of protests has been launched by youths and students since February this year to voice the urgency and necessity of passing a tuition moratorium. It is about time CHED listens to the call of the youths and students,” Bolibol said.

“Evidently, the Arroyo government has been able to make the Philippine education inaccessible and inept. We maintain that education is a right and not a privilege. Education reforms must be accomplished, starting with a tuition moratorium, ” Bolibol said.

Reference:
Einstein Recedes, NUSP National President
Vanessa Faye Bolibol, NUSP Secretary General