De facto martial law in schools

The youth group Anakbayan calls for the Commission on Higher Education’s intervention to stop student repression and oppression by school administrators of various universities in Metro Manila:

• In De La Salle Araneta University (DLSAU) in Malabon, a fourth year computer science student is being prevented by administrators from graduating because he posted an “antituition hike meme” on his Facebook account. Mark Lloyd Garcia posted a copy of the DLSAU logo in which the words “De La Salle Araneta University” was replaced with “Doble at Labis na Singgil Abusong University” (Excessive Charges and Abusive University).

• In San Beda College in Mendiola, Manila, the school administration issued a hastily cobbled “Student Handbook” to stop planned student protests against a proposed tuition hike next semester.

• In National University, also in Manila, the scholarships of several student leaders were cancelled after they led protests against a proposed tuition increase.

• Finally in the University of the Philippines Manila campus, four political science students have been barred from graduating next month because they were unable to immediately pay their tuition fees this semester. The students were unable to immediately pay, but as of March had saved enough to settle their accountabilities. However, UP Manila vice chancellor Josephine de Luna, the same official who kicked out the late Kristel Tejada from the school, thumbed down the students’ request.

Among the four is Cleve Arguelles, a former UP student regent and a member of Anakbayan. In fact, he was awarded for coming up with “5th Most Outstanding Thesis” and as “Most Outstanding Student Leader” in UP Manila’s political science program.

It is deplorable that campus administrators of private and public schools are allowed to impose de facto martial law in universities in pursuit of more profits. We demand that the CHEd immediately and decisively act to stop this practice to protect the interests of the students, or else it will have failed in its mandate to uphold students’ rights and welfare.

—VENCER CRISOSTOMO,

national chair, Anakbayan,

[email protected]