User pay system

IN January1996 The National published an article with my views regarding the user-pay system.
In that article I stated that the user-pay system would push many students out of tertiary and university institutions.
In that year the Government decided that students in State-run institutions must pay 25 per cent of their tuition fees.
I wrote then and still believe today that it was unfair on rural subsistence farm-based families who could not afford the costs.
I proposed than and still do that the Government should have a loan scheme to assist students and parents pay school fees for university and tertiary learning institutions.
The loans must be interest-free.
After graduation the Government can assign those students with loans to be employed and work off their loans.
The education minister at that time followed with an article six months later on July 23 reaffirming the push for a special loan scheme to assist students and parents to meet their tuition fee.
Tuesday Feb 13’s front page report in The National marks 22 years later that the user-pay system is questioned in Parliament.
Education is a right and not a privilege, therefore, I feel very strongly that our children deserve nothing but the best.
The user-pay system will push many of our children into the streets and villages.
Their future will be distorted and above all their educational rights will be taken away.
If the Government goes ahead with the user-pay system for students, it must provide a loan scheme as an alternative to assist our people.

Matilda Pilacapio
Human rights activist