Students storm Malacañan gate to call for end of tuition hikes
WATCH: @anakbayan_ph Lightning Rally against the last day of tuition hike consultation in private universities. pic.twitter.com/6QkM5bgkqq
— CEGP (@CEGPhils) February 29, 2016
A youth group on Monday staged a lightning rally near the Gate 7 of Malacañan Palace to urge President Benigno Aquino III to put an end on tuition hikes.
About 50 students belonging to the militant youth group Anakbayan marched to the Palace gate for their protest but were blocked by the police near La Consolacion College-Manila.
Anakbayan National Chair Vencer Crisostomo said that the group is pushing for the repeal of the Education Act of 1982, a law which supposedly allows schools to raise their tuition fees without government regulation.
Monday marks the deadline for schools to file their proposals to raise their tuition fees.
“The tuition hike proposals tendered by schools with Ched (Commission on Higher Education) today are good as approved regardless of student opposition as long as they handed the required documents under Ched Memo Order 3 Series of 2012,” said Crisostomo.
“In all his speeches, the President always hides behind the legacy of Daddy Ninoy and Mommy Cory while railing against Marcoses. And yet he himself continues to pursue the Marcosian policy of blatant commercialization of education,” he added.
READ: Top universities’ profits double under Aquino term—youth group
The group said that Aquino could issue an executive order to implement a tuition moratorium.
They also alleged that since Aquino assumed the presidency, tuition rates in the country climbed to the range of P60,000-P100,000 from the previous P30,000-P50,000 in 2010.
Last year, Ched approved the request of some 313 private universities and colleges to increase their tuition and other school fees.
READ: CHEd approves tuition hike for 313 private colleges
The commission then approved an average tuition increase of P29.86 per unit, while the average increase allowed for other school fees was P135.60.
@anakbayan_ph @Enteng_Itneg: Isa na namang iskolar ng bayan ang itinulak ng gobyernong ito para kitlin ang buhay. pic.twitter.com/EQdaYwoZPL
— CEGP (@CEGPhils) February 29, 2016
