Student walkout set vs high tuition rates

MANILA, Philippines – Militant youth organizations have set a nationwide walkout on Feb. 24 and March 11 to protest soaring tuition and other fees across the country.

“The Aquino government has done nothing to stop the soaring cost of tuition and other fees,” Anakbayan chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said.

The walkout was announced following the release of a study conducted by Kabataan party-list group, which alleged that tuition rates in some schools doubled during the Aquino administration.

Citing data from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the group also noted a rise in the income of some of the top private higher education institutions in Metro Manila.

“Under Aquino’s deregulation policy for the education sector, school owners are pampered,” said Crisostomo.