Students of the University of the East (UE)-Manila and UE-Caloocan through their respective student councils expressed their opposition to the looming increase in tuition and other fees next school year. In a letter to UE President Zosimo Battad, the UE-Caloocan Central Student Council (CSC) sent a letter urging the administration to listen to the students and forego the planned fee increases. Last year UE raised tuition by 9.5%.

According to the UE Caloocan CSC’s letter, many university fees “have no direct benefit” to students especially in the “hybrid” form of tuition so charging them or even raising them is “unreasonable and unfair.” Also, the particular distribution of charges does not explain why they should be paid in particular and no “clear advantage is derived” from it.

The council warned that tuition increases will lead to lower enrollment in the university if it goes ahead. “In the pursuit of affordable and quality education, we request the administration to reassess any policy that undermines this goal,” according to the council.

The council also shared the view of students who see no improvements in the university despite the 9.5% tuition increase last year. According to them, this is incompatible with the declared commitment of the university and its so-called care for the well-being of the students. Because of this, they challenged the looming increases.

The council also asserted in their letter that “lowering tuition fees is the most understandable step” not only for the well-being of students, but in the spirit of fairness. “We call on the university to listen to its constituents not to implement another tuition increase,” the council said.

Meanwhile, the UE Manila USC conducted a survey among students regarding their opinion on the impending tuition increase. “In the upcoming consultation regarding the increase in tuition and other fees, we want to provide clear, logical and data-based arguments against the increase,” said the president of UE Manila USC in an interview with the UE campus newspaper.

It also called on all UE students to resist the increase in tuition and other fees and push for a higher quota for recipients of scholarships.

The League of Filipino Students joined the call of UE students and facilitated studies and discussions related to it in UE Manila organizations and councils on February 3 and 7.

The UE administration is set to hold a “consultation” at a meeting with student councils this coming February 28 and 29. The “consultation” was mandated by the Commission on Higher Education to make the increase of tuition and other fees acceptable and legitimate.