Surat Dari Ibu Penuntut UITM vs Duterte signs free tuition bill into law

A reader from Sabah sent me the following (Thank you Puan. Nice to hear from you again) :

1.  Hi how are you Syed?  Been following your blog as usual using  ___

My daughter is a student at UiTM ____, thus pertaining to your post on 25 September, 2017 I would like to confirm that UiTM does impose the RM30 electricity bill per student per semester.  

That's for three (3) electrical gadgets only per student eg. mobile phone, laptop, printer.  If the students are found to be using more than three electrical items that they have registered with UiTM for instance iron (seterika), mosquito repellant etc then these will be forfeited by tbe Unit Pengurusan Kolej when they do their regular spotchecks on the students' rooms.  

Items forfeited are returnable with compound payment of RM10 per item.  If they raid tbe students five times per semester the university gets to collect RM50 per item per student.

Not only that Syed, the students are also being scrutinised and policed for the way they dress, their hair must be black at all times.  Even though there is no compulsion to wear the tudung for the Muslim female students but if anyone is found to have the slightest brown glimpse on her crown, Muslim or non Muslim then she must wear tudung to cover unblack hair.  

The students are also scrutinised for wearing skirts that are not ankle long.  And try sneaking out wearing a round collar t-shirt on a weekend...you will be compounded with a RM50 fine.  

The police bantuan just cannot care less if the students have enough money for food or not.

If I have to note down here there are so many other things that cause grief to UiTM students especially when the institution sees them like school children and not university students. 

That's it for now Syed.  Do continue writing, take care and God bless you.

Regards

2.  Then someone else, also a regular reader, sent me this (thank you Pak Tuan. Much obliged)  :

Assalammualaikum wbt Dear Tuan Syed,

The enclosed article refers.

Rakyat Filipina 100 juta dan GNPnya rendah daripada Malaysia tetapi dia boleh bagi free tuition yakni pendidikan percuma kepada rakyat dipengajian tinggi.

Mengapa dan macam mana dia boleh buat begitu ? Adakah kerana di Filipina tiada ameno, MO1 dan Kak Ros ?

Wallahalam,thanks.

Thank you. Here is the story:

 

Duterte signs free tuition bill into law

CNN Philippines
Sat, August 5, 2017

Pres Duterte signed on Aug 3 law free education 
for 1m students in public tertiary, vocational schools nationwide.

Republic Act 10931 or "Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act" 

full tuition subsidy for students in State universities, colleges, technical-vocational schools.


law covers "library fees, computer fees, laboratory fees, school ID fees, athletic fees, admission fees, development fees, guidance fees, handbook fees, entrance fees, registration fees, medical and dental fees, cultural and other similar or related fees."

provides stipend for poor students 

2017 budget P8 billion allotted for free tuition 

My comments :  The Filipinos are getting their priorities right.  

Someone I know just returned from a 10 day vacation in India. He says "India needs communism".  The disparities there are so great. They need shock treatment.

The Philippines is undertaking some shock treatment. They have to educate their people.  This 1 million student population includes vocational education. There are 100 million Filipinos. 1 million going to university is only 1% of the population.  A drop in the ocean.

They are making a political decision, with great will power. They will find the money to fund the free education. Even if they can keep up this free education for just 10 years, the Philippines would have produced at least 10 million new graduates.  

They will not become janitors and maids.