UP Manila Event
I am truly saddened by the news
of the death of a freshman student of UP Manila who took her life, supposedly,
due to her inability to financially sustain her education. Yes, I said it
right—UP Manila. The University which is said to house bright students incapable of financing for their education. The State University dubbed
as the University of the People. If such
caused this unfortunate event, then, what has happened to UP that we all have known?
According to write-ups, this
freshie teenaged-girl qualified under bracket D of the STFAP (if you are from UP,
you must know this. Otherwise, I don’t want to explain.). And, students under
Bracket D are required to pay PhP300 per unit. Also, from what I grasped from the
world of information, her parents failed to meet the deadline for filing of the requirements necessary
for her to qualify under a lower bracket.—Just a background, when I was in
college, an ordinary student pays almost the same amount every semester. Years
after, the University came up with a big increase in tuition fee thereby
refusing education to thousands and thousands of qualified intelligent students.—As
I was saying, during the UP regime of a lower education fee, an ordinary
student like me, who have both parents contributing to the tax of the nation, pays Php300 per unit. If I am not
mistaken, other cases beyond this shall qualify the student to fall under a
STFAP bracket. However, with the approval of the more than 300% tuition fee
hike, an “ordinary Scholar ng Bayan” shells out the same amount as those of
from private universities. On a lighter note, a stretched
socialized subsidization scheme was implemented with this and hence qualified this teenager under the 2nd to the lowest bracket.-- As we have read in the news, this freshie’s
parents do not have a stable income, yet, during my stint in UP, the richest to
ordinary UP students paid the same amount every semester. Oh yes I know, there
was an approved PhP300-to-PhP1000 increase and so was with the bracketing.
I understand the need for an
increase in fees from time to time. However, this should not restrict the purpose
of the existence of a State University. I do not know what procedures this
tuition hike encountered but I do hope that every stakeholder was heard during
the event of it.—What I don’t understand though, is how my alma matter would
allow a “no late payment” policy when, right from the very history of it, it
has been comprised of students who simply cannot afford a one-time-big-time
payment. I, for one, experienced paying
my tuition fee for my graduate studies in a private school and mind you, they
allowed a staggered payment until the very time I was taking my final exams. How
can this be allowed in an institution for the financially- privileged and not in an education-palace which is said to house creatures with intellect- over-
economic- status? Again, what has
happened to the great minds promulgating policies in UP?
Now, I’ve been reading news that
there have been talks on the revocation of the “no late policy”. I can’t say
it’s too late, unless of course, if it fails to materialize. It’s just too sad to ponder that the cost of
a bad decision is another bad decision.
I cannot put the whole block of
blame to the University for her irrevocable choice. I truly would want to agree that her ending
her fate is solely on her, of course forced by factors unknown to the public. But then, it was a decision nobody fed her but
herself. She must be bright, yet, apparently, being bright is not the whole
package. My heart goes to the poor and striving, but, I don’t get the rationale of an induced drawing to
end life. Oh well, yesterday happened yesterday and the only thing we could do
at present is to talk about it. She opted to stay in silence forever. Thus,
there is no way for her to defend herself. So, hopefully, she’ll just find her peace
in Heaven.
*UP has thought me the basics in education.
Well, although it is my pre-school years where I learned how to write, it is
the University my parents blame for everything that I am today. Thank you for the free tuition, on behalf of
my parents.
**correct me if I'm wrong on my facts please.
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