We are one with the UP community in grief and frustration over what has transpired to one of our fellow Iskolars just recently. It is unthinkable that the state university, the university that should supposedly provide quality, relevant, and accessible education to Iskolars ng Bayan, would deprive an Iskolar of her right on financial bases. This should serve as an alarming wake up call to the administration to repeal repressive and unjust policies such as “no payment, no enrolment” schemes and forced Leave of Absence policies.
Problems like these are what socialized tuition and financial assistance are meant to solve; financial ability should never be a hindrance to our right to education. But it is obvious that the principles of socialized tuition have not been met. The administration has failed to do all it can to meet the needs of its Iskolars.
UP ALYANSA will continue the call for a higher budget on education. But in addition to this, we call for the administration to show that the higher budget we have received is used for the students; the administration must be transparent in its use of funds, always aiming to accommodate the students. We cannot tolerate the administration allowing the denial of education to Iskolars ng Bayan.
The principles of socialized tuition must also not be perverted. We call for review, consultation, and revision of the current STFAP scheme. The bracketing system must be revised to adequately accommodate the students. The payment policies must be relaxed to allow students to study in spite of their immediate financial ability. Lastly, loans and financial assistance programs must be made accessible and favorable to the students so that socio-economic condition will never be a hindrance for the availing of the state education that is due to them.
As we maintain our principles of social justice and social progress, we will continue strive to ensure that education is quality, accessible, and relevant. Although sad and mournful, we must now wake up to the realities of failures and let-downs of the current system and policies. As Iskolars para sa Bayan, we must actively involve ourselves in reformation that will support and accommodate the marginalized, powerless, and oppressed sectors of society as well as our fellow Iskolars para sa Bayan.
