State U students call for tuition rollback, fee refund

May 27, 2008

Students from state universities University of the Philippines (UP), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), and other state-run schools, want their tuition fees rolled back and miscellaneous fees which were collected this enrollment refunded in light of the president’s announcement that a tuition moratorium be implemented in state colleges and universities this semester.

This, as the “moratorium” will not actually have an effect if it doesn’t cause a rollback in high tuition rates, according to League of Filipino Students (LFS) national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo.

“Technically a ‘moratorium’ at this point doesn’t make any sense, as the decision-making processes for additional tuition and other fees have already been done during the past months the past years,” he said.

Crisostomo cited UP as an example, which implemented a 300% tuition increase from P300 to P1000 per unit last school year.

“A year since the increase, UP has ceased to be a university which accommodates ‘poor but deserving’ students. A tuition rollback should definitely be considered,” he said.

Students from PUP meanwhile, demand a refund of the collection of a new “developmental fee” which costs P250, saying the fee is “unnecessary, unfair and unjust” as it is only being used for
beautification projects which do not directly effect the quality of education.

“There may be no increase in tuition, but questionable fees are being imposed. These should be investigated, scrapped and refunded,” Crisostomo said. #

Reference: Vencer Crisostomo, 09157991059, 09228262606