PUP hit over admission of excess 10,000 freshmen in bid to hike tuition fees

MANILA, Philippines - The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) administration was condemned for giving false hopes to 10,000 supposed incoming freshmen in a bid to hike tuition fees through its new “College of Technology”.

Chaser Soriano, PUP Central Student Council, said that PUP had accepted an excess 10,000 applicants last March and April in an apparent move to have them enroll in the new College of Technology where they have set a higher tuition fee per unit.

Soriano explained that while PUP only accepts about 7,000 students per year which they can accomodate in their main campus in Manila and several satellite campuses, they had accepted 17,000 applicants as incoming freshmen for academic year 2010-11.

Students and parents were surprised during enrollment which started this week to learn that 10,000 incoming freshmen would not be accommodated in their preferred courses and colleges. Instead, students were advised to enroll in newly-offered technology courses where the tuition fee is set at P250 per unit.

“They gave the students hope that they can take up the course they want when they passed the PUPCET (PUP College Entrance Test). It turns out that they planned to force these students to take up courses that have high tuition fees,” Soriano said.

“The students and parents are against the imposition of higher fees for freshmen. While we understand that the very low PUP budget prevents colleges from accommodating all incoming freshmen, the PUP administration should offer other available courses at the same P12 per unit rate,” Soriano said. 

Due to protests of parents and students the past few days, the enrollment period for freshmen has been extended. Parents and students are also geared to complain before the Commission on Higher Education.

Last March 24, Commission on Higher Education Chairman Emmanuel Angeles promised PUP students that there will be no tuition or other fee increase in PUP for the incoming academic year.

“This is worse that tuition increase because students are forced to take courses that they did not choose or not enroll at all because of the high tuition imposition in the courses available,” Soriano said.

“PUP is supposed to be the most accessible university with its P12 per unit tuition. What will happen now to the 10,000 poor freshmen? Wala na silang pupuntahan,” said Soriano.