A MILITANT leader has expressed optimism on the announcement that students who will enroll in any state university and college (SUC) in the country will no longer pay for tuition starting next school year.
The government will shoulder the school fees through a funding under the 2017 national budget.
Christian Tuayon, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Negros (Bayan-Negros), said this is a welcome development, adding that he is “very hopeful” it will be implemented next year.
“As a student-activist before, we have been fighting for free and accessible education,” he said.
Though it is a positive development, Tuayon pointed out that the fight should not stop here, as he noted the perennial problem of the need for quality education.
He said the National Government should provide not only quality education, but accessible education, which means free tuition and miscellaneous fees.
Tuayon noted that free tuition in SUCs is “one step” to accessible education.
In Negros Island Region, there are four SUCs including Central Philippines State University, Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology, and Negros Oriental State University.
The proposed 2017 General Appropriations Act worth P3.350 trillion, which include the P8 billion allocation under the Commission on Higher Education, has been approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives and is expected to be signed by the President before Christmas.