We, the Iskolar ng Bayan, strongly oppose the proposed tuition and other fee increases in all units of the University of the Philippines. Furthermore, we contest the imposed tuition increase in the UP College of Medicine from an estimated P11,000 to P20,000 which may be used as an example of the administration to impose increases in other UP units all over the country.
Believing that education is a right, we the Iskolar ng Bayan collectively stand against this unjust scheme of generating income from students especially in this untimely situation.
The tuition increase proposal will make UP education less accessible to the majority of the Filipino youth. This scheme will further limit UP education only to a certain group or bracket, thus would cater only to those who could afford to pay such a costly education. Moreover, this proposal will obviously forfeit the very nature of the University of the Philippines – the premier state university of the country, the University of the People. UP, a state university must first and foremost protect the rights and interests of its students. The burden must not be passed on to the students which in the first place is the government’s responsibility. In these trying times, the increase in tuition and other fees is not the solution.
As students of the premier state university, we assert to have an access to quality education that is prioritized by the government. The non-prioritization of education is a clear manifestation of the current administration’s abandonment of its responsibility to the youth sector. Increased tuition fees and other laboratory or miscellaneous fees are mechanisms used by the UP Administration to generate income from students because of the meager budget we receive from the government. This is used to augment the diminishing UP budget, but which also advertently promotes state abandonment. Moreover, a number of state universities and colleges have increased tuition and other fees despite the CHED memorandum. The unjust collection of increases poses a grave threat to our right to education. Furthermore, it is a manifestation of curtailment of our right to education.
We want a better and quality education, but we stand firm that the burden must never pass on to the students. We demand a greater state subsidy for education.
The recent approval of the tuition increases in UP College of Medicine without properly soliciting the stands of the students is a curtailment of the students’ right to be properly consulted. Despite the strong objection of students of such a proposed tuition increase, the administration still approved the proposal. We shall not allow this to happen to other colleges or units of the University or to any state university or college in general. We shall fight all forms of commercialization of education, especially the continuing trend of decreasing education budget, increasing tuition and other fees, such as the increase in the library fee and laboratory fees, imposed exorbitant fees such as the late registration fee and rental fees and the proposed inclusion of bogus fee such as internet and energy fees.
The recent implementation of increase in the library fee in the University of the Philippines Diliman and Mindanao to the incoming freshmen is a clear showing of how the administration finds other means to generate income from students. This is a scheme of commercialization of education. Moreover, the policy of non-consultation of proposed increase pose a possible repercussion to the future Iskolar ng Bayan in the long run and will leave the students at a losing end. We demand a proper venue for consultation on any increases or policy the administration desires to implement.
The proposed tuition increases for UP Units of Diliman, Manila and Los Banos (from P300 to P1,000) and UP Visayas, Mindanao and Baguio (P200 to P600) per unit, pose a grave threat to our right to education. This scheme will further justify the state abandonment to our education and will further make UP education less accessible to the bulk of the deserving Filipino youth. We shall safeguard our rights and fight schemes of commercialization of education.
We appeal to the UP administration, especially to the UP Board of Regents to properly consult the students regarding policies of increases. We further appeal that the administration considers the plight and sentiments of the greater number of the students regarding this proposal.
It is in these times that we, the Iskolar ng Bayan, join ranks in fighting for our basic rights and together we shall uphold our rights to education!
Oppose the tuition and other fee increases in UP! No to commercialization of education! Uphold proper student consultation! Fight for higher state subsidy!
Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP)
Believing that education is a right, we the Iskolar ng Bayan collectively stand against this unjust scheme of generating income from students especially in this untimely situation.
The tuition increase proposal will make UP education less accessible to the majority of the Filipino youth. This scheme will further limit UP education only to a certain group or bracket, thus would cater only to those who could afford to pay such a costly education. Moreover, this proposal will obviously forfeit the very nature of the University of the Philippines – the premier state university of the country, the University of the People. UP, a state university must first and foremost protect the rights and interests of its students. The burden must not be passed on to the students which in the first place is the government’s responsibility. In these trying times, the increase in tuition and other fees is not the solution.
As students of the premier state university, we assert to have an access to quality education that is prioritized by the government. The non-prioritization of education is a clear manifestation of the current administration’s abandonment of its responsibility to the youth sector. Increased tuition fees and other laboratory or miscellaneous fees are mechanisms used by the UP Administration to generate income from students because of the meager budget we receive from the government. This is used to augment the diminishing UP budget, but which also advertently promotes state abandonment. Moreover, a number of state universities and colleges have increased tuition and other fees despite the CHED memorandum. The unjust collection of increases poses a grave threat to our right to education. Furthermore, it is a manifestation of curtailment of our right to education.
We want a better and quality education, but we stand firm that the burden must never pass on to the students. We demand a greater state subsidy for education.
The recent approval of the tuition increases in UP College of Medicine without properly soliciting the stands of the students is a curtailment of the students’ right to be properly consulted. Despite the strong objection of students of such a proposed tuition increase, the administration still approved the proposal. We shall not allow this to happen to other colleges or units of the University or to any state university or college in general. We shall fight all forms of commercialization of education, especially the continuing trend of decreasing education budget, increasing tuition and other fees, such as the increase in the library fee and laboratory fees, imposed exorbitant fees such as the late registration fee and rental fees and the proposed inclusion of bogus fee such as internet and energy fees.
The recent implementation of increase in the library fee in the University of the Philippines Diliman and Mindanao to the incoming freshmen is a clear showing of how the administration finds other means to generate income from students. This is a scheme of commercialization of education. Moreover, the policy of non-consultation of proposed increase pose a possible repercussion to the future Iskolar ng Bayan in the long run and will leave the students at a losing end. We demand a proper venue for consultation on any increases or policy the administration desires to implement.
The proposed tuition increases for UP Units of Diliman, Manila and Los Banos (from P300 to P1,000) and UP Visayas, Mindanao and Baguio (P200 to P600) per unit, pose a grave threat to our right to education. This scheme will further justify the state abandonment to our education and will further make UP education less accessible to the bulk of the deserving Filipino youth. We shall safeguard our rights and fight schemes of commercialization of education.
We appeal to the UP administration, especially to the UP Board of Regents to properly consult the students regarding policies of increases. We further appeal that the administration considers the plight and sentiments of the greater number of the students regarding this proposal.
It is in these times that we, the Iskolar ng Bayan, join ranks in fighting for our basic rights and together we shall uphold our rights to education!
Oppose the tuition and other fee increases in UP! No to commercialization of education! Uphold proper student consultation! Fight for higher state subsidy!
