Students ask CHED: Stop tuition hikes

MANILA, Philippines – Militant student groups yesterday stormed the main office of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in Quezon City to protest the looming tuition hikes for the incoming school year.

Members of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) called for a moratorium on tuition increases and the removal of other school fees in higher education institutions even as CHED is set to tackle the application for hikes this year.

“We renew our call against all forms of tuition hikes and all other school fees. We maintain that there is no justifiable amount of tuition increase. We also stressed on the junking of all other school fees, which are largely dubious, exorbitant, and redundant in nature. We assert our right to education,” said LFS secretary-general Aries Gupit.

The group also urged incoming president Rodrigo Duterte to implement a tuition moratorium to stop the rate adjustments.

“We hope that with the new administration, the promised change that is coming will include a better access to education. We ask presumptive president Duterte to stop all tuition increases by imposing a tuition moratorium and join our call in junking all other school fees,” he said.

“We hope that he will be the opposite of Aquino – a president that will stand for the rights and future of the students,” student leader added.

CHED said the application for tuition increases will be tackled during the en banc meeting on June 6.