Students Hold P-Noy to Inaugural Promise
LFS to Noy: Immediately Commit Emergency Funds to Education*
LFS to Noy: Immediately Commit Emergency Funds to Education*
PRESS RELEASE
July 1, 2010
“Dear Mr. President, our first order of business is the immediate commitment of emergency funds to education.” This was the statement of Terry Ridon, National Chairperson of the League of Filipino Students, as President Noynoy Aquino’s inaugural address made special mention of the problems of the education system, particularly the lack of facilities, classrooms and the poor quality of education.
In his address, President Aquino said clearly, “Hindi natin ipagpapaliban ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga estudyante, kaya’t sisikapin nating punan ang kakulangan sa ating mga silid-aralan.” The new president also vowed to provide quality education and employment for the youth.
As to the amount of the funds needed, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers pegged the budget shortage to 91-M pesos insofar as basic education is concerned. According to Ridon, a former Regent of the University of the Philippines, the shortage in state college and universities (SCUs) amounts to much more, as the previous government had allocated zero capital outlay for SCUs in recent years.
Ridon said that among the beneficiaries of the emergency fund should include the Polytechnic University of the Philippines that had refused qualified but poor-and-deserving enrollees due to the scarcity of government funding and the lack of resources.
In the long-term, Ridon also hopes that the new President performs on his election promise to spend 6% of GDP to education, at par with international standards on education spending.
“Such full funding and budget prioritization would surely address many aspects of the education crisis, particularly education access and the mounting dropouts at all levels,” Ridon said.
*Url: http://www.lfs.ph/2010/06/30/students-hold-p-noy-to-inaugural-promise/
In his address, President Aquino said clearly, “Hindi natin ipagpapaliban ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga estudyante, kaya’t sisikapin nating punan ang kakulangan sa ating mga silid-aralan.” The new president also vowed to provide quality education and employment for the youth.
As to the amount of the funds needed, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers pegged the budget shortage to 91-M pesos insofar as basic education is concerned. According to Ridon, a former Regent of the University of the Philippines, the shortage in state college and universities (SCUs) amounts to much more, as the previous government had allocated zero capital outlay for SCUs in recent years.
Ridon said that among the beneficiaries of the emergency fund should include the Polytechnic University of the Philippines that had refused qualified but poor-and-deserving enrollees due to the scarcity of government funding and the lack of resources.
In the long-term, Ridon also hopes that the new President performs on his election promise to spend 6% of GDP to education, at par with international standards on education spending.
“Such full funding and budget prioritization would surely address many aspects of the education crisis, particularly education access and the mounting dropouts at all levels,” Ridon said.
*Url: http://www.lfs.ph/2010/06/30/students-hold-p-noy-to-inaugural-promise/
