Death sparks call for review of varsity policy

Activists burn school chairs and tables during a protest inside the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Manila yesterday, following the apparent suicide of Kristel Tejada, a first year student at the University of the Philippines.

Manila Times/Manila

The University of the Philippines (UP) Manila campus cancelled its classes yesterday to offer a day of mourning to 16-year-old freshman Kristel Tejada who committed suicide on Friday even as calls for the scrapping of the state university’s “inhumane” policies were sounded by lawmakers.

Until Friday, UP Manila will be holding a week of mourning and protest for Tejada.

According to the students, this is their way of seeking justice for Tejada who took her life in their house in Tondo, Manila after she was forced to file for a leave of absence (LOA) from the university since she can no longer pay her tuition debts.

“Starting on Monday, we call on all students to cover the Oblation statues in all UP campuses with black cloth. This is a call to stand up and strike for education and justice,” said Mariz Zubiri, president of UP-Manila student council.

Also in UP-Diliman campus, various youth groups are calling for protests on March 19-20.

Besides UP campuses, other state campuses and universities in the country will hold their own vigil to seek justice for Tejada. Tejada’s death has made legislators and officials make efforts to not only prevent this from happening again but also to fulfill the dreams of poor but deserving students to quality education, Rep. Jose Victor “JV” Ejercito-Estrada of San Juan City said yesterday.

According to Ejercito Estrada the UP administration should abolish its policies of forced leave of absence and no late payment, as these discriminate against poor students.

“Being a state university which gets the biggest share of the annual budget for state universities and colleges (SUCs), UP should never close its doors on the poor but deserving students,” he added.

Ejercito, who is part of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial ticket, noted that because of the socialised tuition and financial assistance programme, majority of students enrolled at the UP belongs to Class A, B, C and that only 10% belonged to Class D and E.

“With our efforts to have a steady increase in government subsidy toward SUCs, it is now our desire to bring back the old UP-policy on tuition fee that really caters to the ‘iskolar ng bayan,’” the lawmaker said.

Ejercito added that he has been pushing for a legislation for the students’ rights and welfare in the lower house, which recognises the right to education of every young Filipino and penalises schools that will deny entry of a student who is financially incapable.

“What is imperative right now is to ensure that these deserving students who are placing education as their prime objective be provided the mechanism to fulfill their dreams,” said Ejercito.

Tejada, took her own life because of her family’s inability to pay her tuition fee.

She was forced to take a leave of absence for the second semester (2012-2013) after she failed to pay her tuition fee because of her family’s dire financial situation.

Former senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said Tejada’s case is a wake up call for the government and the school institutions to revisit their policies toward its mandate of providing accessible education to deserving students, Zubiri said yesterday.

Zubiri, who is also a product of the university, stressed the need to reform school policies on payment schemes toward leniency for students with debts.

Meanwhile, the chancellor of UP Manila was in tears when she defended the university saying that they were not “ruthless” in handling Tejada’s case.

“Our compassion has been questioned a lot in the media. We have been portrayed as cold hearted and ruthless,” UP Manila Chancellor Manuel Agulto said at a press conference.

“UP Manila did what it could. If only I knew the extent of her difficulties, I personally would have attended to her needs,” Agulto said.

Agulto said that the university “did not wish to give anyone a difficult time” and said that they also have a dream for their students and the university “does not wish to pose any obstacle” for students.

Agulto said that there is no reason for him to resign from his post because he has not committed anything wrong.

Agulto also said that no qualified students in the university, especially the poor, should be deprived because of financial constraints.

Suicide, according to him, is a complex phenomenon, which may be brought about by a confluence of factors.

“It is disturbing that UP Manila has been cited as the single direct cause in this particular case. This situation requires greater understanding from a clinical perspective,” Agulto said.

 The UP official also denied that there was “forced” leave of absence imposed on Tejada as claimed in the earlier report.

“LOA is filed by students who are not officially enrolled for various reasons and which will facilitate their enrolment for the next semester. This is not a penalty but is in fact a solution so that they can continuously be enrolled as a UP student. This facilitates in enrolling them for the next semester,” Agulto explained.

The university, Agulto said, has approved all 79 appeals by Tejada’s family to extend the various deadlines for her payment of the loans she took.

“Tejada was never ‘forced’ to go on leave,” he said.

Also yesterday, the faculty and staff of the UP Manila Department of Behavioral Sciences called for the “irrevocable resignation” of Agulto and Vice Chancellor Josephine de Luna.

The faculty and staff of the department, in a statement, said that they are holding Agulto and de Luna “largely accountable for the deprivation of Tejada’s right to education that cost her life.”

On the other hand, Dr Anthony Leachon, spokesman of the university, said Tejada was not the first student who took her life because of depression over studies.

He also urged greater support from other university alumni who are already working to support students with financial problems as UP’s fund is not enough to support all poor students.