Last night we told you about The Ministry of Education's decision to discontinue subsidizing registration fees for new UB students.
It started in 2006 - when the fees were first increased - and due to student protests - government was forced to step in and pay the fees at that time.
The subsidy continues - but with a cut in the budget for scholarships - the Ministry of Education has to find areas to make cuts.
So they have decided to discontinue paying the $150.00 dollar fee for all those new students who start UB in January. They will continue to pay for all students who are currently enrolled.
Today the Nation Builders national youth movement issued a release to declare its, quote, "vehement opposition to any kind of increase in fees at the national university."
The release characterizes it as an increase in fees and calls it outrageous when, quote, "access to tertiary education among the adolescent population is a measly 5%-7%."
We asked the minister about just that point in our interview with him yesterday:
Jules Vasquez
"The enrollment in Tertiary Education - correct me if I am wrong - fewer than 5 %. Wouldn't one want to reduce the disincentives against pursuing tertiary education?"
Hon. Patrick Faber - Minister of Education
"I will agree with you, but you will understand that although it is 5%, it has increased tremendously over the last few years with the kinds of assistance we've been giving. Now, you may argue that taking away this kind of measure would increase that. But, we have to be real about the situation too, and this is what I want people to understand. I don't speak for UB on this occasion, but I'll tell you that I think that the 45 US dollar per credit hour at the bachelor's level at UB, and 15 dollars per credit hour at the associate's degree is absolutely ridiculous, and if we are not offering free education at the tertiary level, then people should pay at that level for education. How many people go through and get their student loans at that level? And I think all can agree that students who complete a tertiary degree, by and large, are employed. This nonsense about not finding a job if you have a bachelor's degree, I don't buy that. You may not find a job to match your qualifications, but by and large, people who do have a degree are working, or can find a job, unless they are down and out rightly lazy. So, people will be able to pay their way. If the criticism is that they believe that the government should work along with partners to make sure that more monies are available for lending to people to be able to afford their tertiary studies then, fine, I take that criticism well. And I'll tell people that we are going to look into that and trying to make sure money - maybe through the DFC, maybe through the credit unions - I know that some of this is already happening - but make sure that monies are there for people to borrow if they want to pursue tertiary education.
Faber says he is willing to work to have student financing available at the DFC and Credit Unions.
The fees subsidy currently cost the ministry a million dollars per semester...
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