How long you have been so annoyed with the elders
telling you, “You must study hard for education, it is important”? Now dear,
let me give you this one for you not to be annoyed at all.
There are millions of Filipino students who are striving
just to finish studying to be able to cope up with globally competitive
industries. It is not just their dream but also their families’. But here in
our country, many high school students can’t continue studying in college
because of their financial misfortune. Everyone has the right for education but
due to poverty, stepping up and continuing to college has become an unreachable
dream. To tell you, that is one of the ugly truths here in the Philippines
Photo credits to: Rappler.com
Assuming that their parents have a job, but a job
with a minimum wage cannot sustain the financial needs of a Filipino college
student especially if one’s parent has more than one child.
Let us say that here in our country there may be
some state universities that has a low tuition fee but these universities
cannot accept all upcoming college students that is why a number of them are
forced to study in universities demanding for high tuition fees. Also, even
their parents are not sure if they can really support them financially until
graduation— some will strive and be working students and others will not pursue
studying anymore, and one will be surprised how many will choose the latter
choice.
One of the state universities in the
Philippines that offers low tuition fee.
Surely, this is hope for the dreamers that the
Senate Committee on Education, are pushing House Bill No. 5905 known as “Free
Higher Education Act” to be passed within a year that would fully subsidize
tuition fees in all State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) for any
undergraduate and certificate degree, a law proposed by Senator Win Gatchalian.
Hence, the House Bill bothered the private higher
education institutions (HEIs) that free tuition fee policy in SUCs would result
mass migration of students from private HEIs to SUCs. Senator Gatchalian called
on the private HEIs representatives to support their claims.
A simple one plus one for those who believe that
mass migration of students from private HEIs to SUCs may occur. If a large
number of students would not be able to pay high tuition fees at all, it may
really occur. Students in private institutions are there because they are born
wealthy—meaning their parents could simply afford to send them.
In past few years, a college freshman student at
the University of the Philippines-Manila committed suicide due to failure to
pay her tuition fee on time as their university plays “no late payment policy.”
With that, she was forced to file a leave of absences that truly depressed her.
It was sad to say that an unpaid tuition fee worth Php 10,000 would lead the
poor college student in ending her own life.
Poverty is a big hindrance for those who wish to
finish study. If this case happened once, it might happen again. There are more
unfortunate Filipino students than fortunate ones. Hopefully, the Free Higher
Education Act, won’t just remain a dream for the poor ones but soon shall be
passed.
It is believed that highly educated youth can help
the country’s economy to improve its situation. And to produce highly competitive
individuals, education is the key. If you are lucky enough to continue college,
do not ever waste it. Education in the Philippines is expensive so we should
have the best of it.
So now dear, are you still annoyed with the elders?
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