A partylist representative on Monday pitched for the creation of a loaning system for indigent students that will allow them to borrow funds for tuition and other school fees that they can pay back once employed.
“A student loaning system for less fortunate students in our country could be a feasible option to consider in order to prevent another incident like that of Kristel Tejada of UP Manila," Representative Sherwin Tugna of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC), said.
The proposal would patterned after the loan system in the United States that give students the option of borrowing funds for tuition and then paying for it when they have jobs, Tugna said.
"We are currently studying how can that be done here. What is the limit of the loan and how long can the students' loan be spread," he said.
Under his proposal, the Commission on Higher Education will serve asthe fund administrator. The concept would be similar to Landbank’s loan provision to farmers and other members of the agricultural sector, Tugna said.
“Whether we like it or not, this incident with Ms. Tejada is the state of our education system and is a reflection of the lack of attention the government is giving to it. We may be angry at the administration of UP now and blame them for what happened but ultimately, the core of this problem is rooted in a government and a system mired in graft and corruption," he said.
"Money swindled or embezzled by enterprising and thick-skinned government officials could have been used to allocate to the already meager and limited budget of our country’s beloved state university and also to the other state universities and colleges that are brimming with bright and promising students who are afflicted by financial constraints,” Tugna added.
In a separate statement, Makabayan senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño Makabayan senatorial filed House Resolution 3044 calling for an inquiry on the various tuition and loan policies of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).
"Government should direct concerned agencies and bodies to immediately review existing policies and rules of state universities and colleges (SUCs) in relation to tuition, loan grants and other payment schemes," Casiño, representative of Bayan Muna partylist, said.
"While SUCs are granted relative autonomy, government should have a set of minimum guidelines prioritizing the right of students to education over the generation of revenues," he added.
Fellow Bayan Muna partylist Representative Neri Colmenares said the government must answer for the UP student's death.
“The death of the young, promising student is a result of the heartless, anti-poor policies of the government. It is outrageous and so ironic that this tragedy happened in the supposedly premier state university of the country. This is a state-driven murder,” he said.
source: interaksyon.com
