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Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Militant students hold 'first day high' protest
JUNE 13 not only marked the opening of classes for most of the private schools in the tertiary level, but was also a day of protest for militant students who dubbed it as their "First Day High."
Students from different schools went out of their morning classes to join other youth groups in their "First Day High" protest.
Marching from the University of Mindanao in Bolton to the Freedom Park along Roxas Boulevard, the youth protesters criticized this school year's round of tuition and miscellaneous increases and the government's continued slashing off the national budget for state universities and colleges.
In a recent study conducted by Bayan Muna, the proposed education budget amounts to P146.4 million, which is only 13.9 percent of the total budget and is 0.8 percent lower than last year's 14.7 percent.
"While the Arroyo administration has busied itself in railroading her Charter change, the education of the youth continues to be neglected by the government," said Maria Nelly Sun, secretary general of Anakbayan-Davao City.
"This is not even enough to cater to the needs of more than 20 million students entering school this year. It's not surprising that 14.5 percent of the youth will not be entering school and more students will drop out and out of school since only 42 percent of the 68 percent who finished elementary will enter high school. Only 14 percent of students will be able to enter and finished college since the government is not doing anything at all," she added.
Sun also berated the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) for their Memorandum Order 14 Series of 2005 that has institutionalized automatic annual increases in tuition, other fees, and new fees.
She said the memorandum stripped the students of their right to be consulted regarding increases as provided by the order for as long as increases do not exceed the prevailing inflation rate, which is currently at 7.6 percent according to the National Economic Development Authority.
According to the National Office of Anakbayan, one of the leading youth organizations for the said nationwide protest, there will be more students for this school year who will not be joining the first day rush.
The group expressed alarm over the fact there has been no influx of transferees from private schools to state universities and colleges compared to the previous years. (BOT with Press release)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (June 14, 2006 issue)
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