Young students protested before the office of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in Quezon City on March 22 to condemn the US-Marcos regime’s push for charter change that would allow 100% foreign ownership of schools in the country. They also condemned the imminent tuition increase in private universities which they said will surely be approved by CHED which has always served as “rubber stamp” to these schools.

Anakbayan says the annual increase in tuition and other fees is in “utter contempt for the youth’s right to education.” Students assert this will only benefit capitalists who own schools and universities because it will not improve the quality of education. They say this will bring “poverty and loss of future for many students.”

Among the universities that will raise tuition are De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, National University, and University of the East. Efforts by student councils and organizations to block the increase in tuition and other fees are now rife. Tuition will increase by approximately 5% to 10%.

Apart from this, they reiterated their condemnation of charter change railroaded by the Marcos regime. “[This] will do nothing but worsen the commercialized, colonial, and repressive education system,” the group argued against charter change threatening to allow 100% foreign ownership of schools.

“The youths ask for a solution to the education crisis, (not) Marcos Jr’s Charter Change that will worsen it. It only proves that we will never, ever achieve a patriotic, scientific, and mass-oriented education system as long as the interest of the few prevails,” Anakbayan emphasized.