School accepts ‘prodigal’ maritime students

THE maritime students who joined the walkout in Southwestern University (SWU) have until today to return to school.

Andrew Aznar, Seacrest Maritime president and SWU board member, said they accepted back some protesting students and are  giving  a second chance to others  who joined last Tuesday’s  protest.

He said  the parents sent a  written request to have the students admitted in class again.

Classes have resumed in the maritime institute after the Tuesday demonstration by more than 100 students, who staged the protest  over  alleged “exorbitant” fees in their study now-pay later program.

Aznar said based on their student records, only 10 students will continue with their dismissal from the program.

“They made mistakes, but we will still accept them because they would waste their future if they don’t  finish the program,” he told Cebu Daily News.

Students  walked out  last Tuesday after they complained about discrepancies in the agreement with the school,   tuition increase and the dismal lodging conditions.

Under the “study now, pay later” program of  Seacrest, students  only pay 25 percent of their tuition for the first year and 35 percent on the second year.

The rest of the tuition,  which includes their books and processing fee of their apprenticeship  worth around P450,000, would be paid in a span of three years after they graduate.

Aznar said Seacrest is a non-stock non-profit foundation as part of SWU’s  corporate-social responsibility

“The school may be profit driven, but the foundation is not,” he said.

Some  students  are also sponsored by  partner local government units of the foundation.

He said the cost of a maritime education in Seacrest is lower that other universities in Cebu and that Seacrest was the only one offering a post-graduation tuition  repayment scheme

Aznar said the institute, which has 700 students,  is facing threats of closure from the SWU board of trustees.

He assured, however, that  he would find a way push through with the program with his own money if needed.

The board is set to meet this Wednesday to discuss  the school’s fate. .

Aznar said the foundation has an operating cost of P200 million.

Dennis Abarientos of the militant group Karapatan-Central Visayas said 30 students are still being housed in a private residence in Cebu city.

Karapatan, along with Bayan-Muna facilitated the students’ walkout and provided legal advice.

He said  parents of the 30 children support their s decision to stop schooling, but they would exhaust efforts to retrieve the Transcript of Records of the students.

He said the students who are of age will file administrative charges against the school. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya