The militant group National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) on Sunday challenged Commission on Higher Education chairperson Patricia Licuanan to resign despite her fixed term that will expire in 2018.
NUSP spokesman Kevin Castro said Licuanan’s decision to stay on as head of the commission also ties the hands of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte from appointing a successor whom he trusts.
Castro, who described Licuanan as an enemy of Filipino students, accused the Ched chairperson of supporting the commercialization of the country’s educational system that has resulted in annual tuition increases and budget cuts.
“Licuanan has been at the forefront of the ongoing neoliberal attacks on the youth’s right to education. It is very insensitive of her to blurt out such unthought of remarks given that under her supervision, six students, including Kristel Tejada, had been killed by the commercialized educational system she immensely approves of,” he said.
“Ched has been an agency of lies and deceit under Licuanan’s tutelage. They keep on deceiving the students that the government is doing its mandate to make education accessible to all, but what they actually do is to be persistent in deregulating education. This has to stop,” Castro said.
Castro noted that when Licuanan assumed the chairmanship in 2010, the average annual tuition was at P30,000-P50,000.
However, the figures have already doubled to P60,000-P100,000 in 2015, he aded.
He said Licuanan has approved annual increases in tuition and other fees while slashing the budget of state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Castro said for academic year 2015-2016, at least 59 SUCs suffered slashes in their budget, including the University of the Philippines which was dealt with a P2.2-billion budget cut.
Meanwhile, some 304 private higher education institutions were allowed to hike their tuition and other school fees for the academic year 2016-2017.
“Licuanan, if she really is genuine in serving the Filipino students, has the power to oppose budget cuts and to reject tuition increases. On the contrary, she advocates for the commercialization and deregulation of tertiary education. She decides to turn her back against the just demands and the legitimate woes of the Filipino youth. These are all sufficient reasons to seek for the resignation of the lady who regards education as one’s privilege, not an inherent right,” Castro said.
“Out of respect to the Filipino students, resign now, Ms. Licuanan. Put your egocentricity at rest, and spare the Filipino youth from your intense inutility as Ched chairperson,” he added.
Earlier, incoming chief of the Presidential Management Staff Christopher Go said Licuanan will stay as Ched chairperson given her fixed term.
Go made the statement after Duterte reportedly offered the Ched chairmanship to Lyceum professor Jose Lapuz.