Ched officials humiliated by student’s exposition regarding continued TOSF collection in SUCs

Initially, all student leaders were barred from entering the House panel inquiry on the implementation of free education.

STUDENT leaders were forcibly sent out from the House panel inquiry on the implementation of free tuition after tensions rose when some officials of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) could not give answers to student’s demand to junk tuition and other school fees collection from all state universities and colleges (SUCs), and the immediate refunding of the fees collected.

“It is obvious that the government is not serious in resolving the most basic problem confronting the youth. Worse, they are discrediting the legitimate grievances and analysis of the students on the bogus laws and policies they are implementing,” said Jose Mari Callueng, national president of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines.

At the panel inquiry, the student leaders aired their grievances on the bogus P8 billion worth Free Tuition Policy. Only a few of the student leaders were allowed to enter the hearing of the Committee on Higher Technical Education while several others were barred, including student publications from participating schools.

WATCH: Students were sent out after tensions rose at the House panel inquiry on the implementation of free tuition. via Erwin Colcol/GMA News Online

After student leaders were sent out at the House panel inquiry on the implementation of free tuition, the students and campus publications inside the holding room were locked and not allowed to go outside and meet their co-student leaders.

WATCH: Student leaders who were not able to participate in the House panel inquiry on the implementation of free education were locked inside the holding area.

“Students along with campus publications were barred from entering a public hearing that tackles an issue they are facing. Instead of freely welcoming them, they struggled their way to participate and was even sent out after airing out their legitimate grievances,” said Callueng.

According to the National Union of Students of the Philippines, the collection of TOSF in various SUCs remain rampant and cited in their data that one in every four students in SUCs still paid their tuition despite the free higher education law.

Amid the passing of the Free Tuition Policy, profiteering schemes continue to perpetuate in SUCs while private institutions are preparing to skyrocket their tuition and other school fees.

“This is why the youth continue to dominate the streets instead of taking the battle where the arena only favors the reactionaries. Thousands more of youth will be angered by the intensified commercialization of Philippine education and they will surely mobilize to fight for a genuine free education,” Callueng ended.