CEBU, Philippines - Heavy rain did not stop student leaders from staging a protest at the Commission on Higher Education-7 office yesterday to seek for answers on the alleged illegal approval of tuition fee increases this school year.
Unfortunately, the CHED officials authorized to speak on the matter were reportedly in Manila for a meeting.
“Disappointed mi gamay sa Commission on Higher Education kay gi-una nila ang ingon ana nga gathering. Siyempre importante mana pero mas importante man siguro ang interest sa mga estudyante nga muskwela,†said Niño Olayvar of Anak Bayan.
“Naa unta sila’y gibilin nga opisyales diri,†he added.
Those who took part in the protest were representatives from the National Unions of Students of the Philippines, Anak Bayan, STAND of the University of San Carlos, and Nagkahiusang Kusog sa Estudyante of University of the Philippines.
Only 11 people took part in the protest but Olayvar said it is their cause and not their number that really matters. He said other students might just be too afraid to stand up for their rights.
“Hagit pod namo sa kabatan-onan nga dili ta angay mahadlok tungod kay batakan ni nga katungod nato ug mismo ang pagpangayo sa responsibilidad sa CHED, usa sa batakan nga katungod sa kabataan,†Olayvar said.
He said they will go back to the CHED office next week and just like yesterday, no rain or even the heat of the sun, can stop them from protesting.
CHED-7 approved the application of 21 private schools in Central Visayas – 14 of which are in Cebu Province – to increase tuition this school year.
Anak Bayan, however, said the approval was unjustified because the students allegedly were not consulted, something that CHED reportedly requires before granting a tuition hike.
Aside from this, some academic institutions that have increased tuition allegedly did not increase the salary of teachers, which is supposedly part of the reasons for the increase. — (FREEMAN)