Apathetic response to increasing fees? Or measured response?

BillyBong SG · 2006-02-23T11:35:14+00:00

It is under control. The way you want to control it, its not competition anymore. Look, if you can't handle the second rate foreign talent that comes over he...

BillyBong SG

They wear black clothes to protest
Fees just went up last August, they argue
By Teh Jen Lee and Tay Shian

February 18, 2006

IT WAS a Valentine's Day announcement they didn't appreciate.

On Tuesday, National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduates received an e-mail about a 3 per cent fee hike that will take effect this August. (See report in box on facing page.)

This sparked protests as a 5 per cent fee increase were just implemented last August.

Led by third-year science student Alex Ang, 24, undergraduates showed up on campus yesterday wearing their feelings on their sleeves.

The colour of their anger? Black.

Mr Ang on Wednesday called on students to wear a black T-shirt to campus.

He posted an entry on an online forum started by the NUS Student's Union (Nussu) about the fee hike.

He wrote: 'I hope we can protest against the fee hike by wearing a black top. It will be a symbolic gesture to show our displeasure with the NUS management over its handling of the matter.'

Mr Ang told The New Paper: 'I heard about the hike only in the media. Some of the students didn't even know about it as they hadn't read their e-mails.

'I found this very shocking and I wanted to raise awareness on the issue.'

Mr Ang said that there were many discussions on the forum about launching petitions or asking for a dialogue, but no one seemed to be taking the lead.

He said: 'There was no action, talk only. So I decided to ask people to wear black as it's the fastest and most visible way.'

Mr Ang, whose fees are paid by the Ministry of Education, will have to pay $180 more for his honours year following the fee hike.

After his online posting, word spread from student to student mostly via SMS.

Some also spread the message through the MSN instant messaging systerm.

When The New Paper team visited NUS' central forum at about 4pm yesterday, about 50 of the 200 students there were in black.

About half of those approached admitted that they were doing it to protest the fee hike.

Graduating science student Paulene Cheng, 21, said she was worried about fee increases becoming a trend as she has younger siblings who may enter NUS in the future.

First-year arts student Justin Ong, 22, said: 'The amount may not be much when spread over a year, but I feel that there should have been more consultation before the hike is imposed.'

Some students who missed the protest yesterday suggested on the online forum to extend it till today.

There was a meeting between Nussu and the university administration last Friday in which the union opposed the fee hike.

OBJECTIONS IGNORED

In an e-mail to students on 14 Feb, Nussu president Danny Quek wrote: 'Despite our vigorous objection to the fee increase, the administration still deems such a measure necessary in order to keep up with cost increases.'

He added that the union was disappointed that requests to be more involved in discussions regarding school policies have gone unheard.

'There was no consultation before the fee hike was announced,' he wrote.

However, he said that as a result of the meeting, the university will channel more funds to financial aid in the coming academic year.

DON'T GET EMOTIONAL

Commenting on the black T-shirt protest, he said: 'The method was not initiated by the union.

'We urge the students to engage the administration in constructive feedback instead of showing an emotional response.'

When asked about the protest, a university spokesman said: 'We understand that some students would like to express their displeasure at the increase in tuition fees.

'We are committed to helping all our students meet the increase and have put in place a range of financial assistance schemes.'

However, arts student Hanna Samri, 23, felt that the increase in financial aid does not justify the fee hike.

'There will always be more students in need that they can provide for,' said a black-clad Miss Hanna.

But not all students protested.

Some knew about the protest but didn't join in as they were satisfied with the reasons the university's administration had given.

Law student Jolie Giouw, 19, said: 'If they have to increase fees, then they have to. Our fees are already heavily subsidised anyway.'

Undergraduates pay about a quarter of the courses' operating costs while the Government foots the rest.

Engineering student Darren Luo, 21, was expecting the hike as NUS will be corporatised in the coming academic year.

He said: 'The only problem is that students feel it came too soon after last year's increase. Corporatisation will benefit the students through improved teaching aids and student facilities.'

Mr Ang, who started yesterday's protest, went around photographing facilities that he felt should be upgraded if they are going to raise fees.

He said: 'We have a new University Hall, but student facilities haven't improved. For example, I know of a corridor study bench that has been spoilt for many years.

'The wooden benches in lecture theatre 26 are all so old, they should have refurbished them to make it easier for us to concentrate.'

The Newpaper

ST Writer Kenny Tan wrote in an article today that students should "stand up for rights but in an orderly way".

But is there any possible manner to stage an 'orderly' but non-violent protest in SG? Had the students worn black t-shirts en masse, their 'ringleaders' would have been singled out and censured by the relevant authorities. The students would have received a global rebuke from the same authority and the fee hike matter would grudgingly recede into oblivion. Nonchalance would once again, as before, cast its dark gloom over the student body.

In that i have to agree with Student Yeo Wei Sheng that the NUS simply gave 'notification' and not consultation or clarification.

abao SG

this is Singapore...

where Unions have no real power
where wear the same outfit is illegal (what about school uniforms then?)
where notification is given without consultion (hopefully its improving since the "casino" was debated)

FireIce SG

they wear watever color oso no use

cos it's not going to change anything

ndmmxiaomayi SG

ST Writer Kenny Tan wrote in an article today that students should "stand up for rights but in an orderly way".

Wearing in black not orderly? Must wear red and white in opposite order then called orderly?

They didn't protest like in other countries. If that isn't orderly enough, then have protests like in the other countries. This is then called order. Since peaceful protest is not orderly by the definition according to The New Paper, then violent protest is.

oxford mushroom SG

Agree...but in truth I think our students are getting a raw deal. Having taught undergraduates both in Singapore and overseas, it is clear that our students are paying a high price for their education but I doubt they are getting value for money.

NUS is obsessed with ranking (aren't Singaporeans all?). The way Universities are ranked much depends on the research output rather than the starting salaries of their graduates or students' feedback on the quality of teaching. As a result, NUS lecturers are more concerned with their own research than with teaching undergrads, which is seen more as a distraction.

You cannot blame the professors...if your appraisal and even your job depends on research publication rather than teaching students, where would you place your priority?

dragg SG

the fact that only 50 turned up in black shows that most people dont mind the increase.

so what is there to complain about?

huangshangbujitaijianji?

ndmmxiaomayi SG

oxford, having read this post, I have one question. If that is so, why encourage us to go university when the professors aren't going to teach us seriously? Does the research proof that you are a good professor?

Ito_^ SG

out of dunno how many more ppl, 200 attended the forum, out of 200, 50 wore black, out of 50, 25 dare admit. noone bother to take lead, all juz sit there, complain to each other and stare at the wall.

of cuz not gonna change anything lar!! Laughing

dragg SG

we are singapore, we are singapore, we are singaporeans.....

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Agreed. But I don't agree with the reporter that it is disorderly. So few people making noise reporter call it disorderly. Wonder if the PAP steps in, will they get thrown to jail? Shocked

LazerLordz SG

The reporter probably had his report edited by the chaps higher up.

It's all a media spin.Disorderly my arse.Press integrity?Fallen out of the plane a long while back.

It is an ABSOLUTE DISGRACE TO PRESS INTEGRITY.Go and look up the definition of "disorderly conduct" before trying to feed Singaporeans with such a elementary and pathetic attempt at cowing the population into thinking that voicing our opinions is a destabilising force.

Guess who's the kids here?Not us.Not the undergrads, but the 140th ranked press of the Republic.

One more reason why I have stopped buying the Straits Times is because the quality of local news reporting is simply not up to par.

But I have to say that the defence and Review sections are quite alright.It's the domestic news reporting that has fallen quite short of the mark.

Salman SG

I think these kids should just put their energies on studying hard and grow up to be useful citizens of Singapore. Straits Times might even hire them one day. Who knows, they might get a good job as a schorlar and contribute more to Singapore.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Ya, put energies into studies and seep our parents of the energy to pay for our education.

With such high fees, we would be more worried about whether we can continue school than studying. And the criteria for getting help to pay fees still remain the same while fees are going up and up. If you look at how foreign universities charges their own students, it is comparatively lower. Only foreign students bare the full brunt of the tuition fees.

And how many people can be a scholar when lots of these are aimed at foreigners? Having said, oxford mushroom's post does really make us think if our education system and fee system should be reflected upon. At this rate of increase, we might as well study overseas when we pay about the same overseas.

ObviousMan SG

Protest! They dare to protest!

Someone should call the police and activate the riot police.
Confiscate their black shirts also!

Salman SG

Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:
Ya, put energies into studies and seep our parents of the energy to pay for our education.

Whats wrong with parents paying for education?
Haven't you heard of student loans that yo can repay after you graduate?

With such high fees, we would be more worried about whether we can continue school than studying. And the criteria for getting help to pay fees still remain the same while fees are going up and up. If you look at how foreign universities charges their own students, it is comparatively lower. Only foreign students bare the full brunt of the tuition fees.

High fees? Why don't you compare to fees in the US and Australia?
I don't think our fees are high at all. I paid my own way thru NUS working part time. No big deal. I didn't whine. So why are you people whining?

And how many people can be a scholar when lots of these are aimed at foreigners? Having said, oxford mushroom's post does really make us think if our education system and fee system should be reflected upon. At this rate of increase, we might as well study overseas when we pay about the same overseas.

Learn to compete and stop whining. The more you whine the less competitive you are.

oxford mushroom SG

You know the answer...because many employers (including the civil service) looks at the certificate more than the capability of the employee. I know of poly grads who can do a job better than graduates but the system will not allow us to pay that poly grad more than the NUS grad.

NUS students work hard and generally they do pretty well in the end...but if they do well, it is inspite of the quality of teaching they get.

Incidentally, there is a similar debate on BBC about the emphasis of research at the expense of teaching in the Russel group of Universities.

BillyBong SG

Your statement smacks of a self-centered attitude towards the overall impact to education.

The university has unilaterally raised fees, failed to disclose the precise reasons for the hike and refused further comment on the matter. It's not the costs that irk the students but the unethical way it was handled.

They have unilaterally chosen not to explain their decisions to the one paying body that matters: the students.

That is a hallmark of high-handedness and brazen disregard in the manner the administration is run. And NUS is not alone. SMU's 15% fee hike probably stunned their students, while similar 5% fee hikes in NTU, along with rising costs in their student hostels are likewise given lukewarm responses.

Imagine SMU management students paying the same fees (or more) as engineering students in both NUS and NTU, even though their syllabus does not include lab work or access to sophisticated research equipment.

While SMU was quick to issue guarantees that the fees would not escalate for the next 4 years, what's to stop both NTU and NUS from continuing to raise their fees, citing continuous surging costs? Everyone knows that rising utility costs coupled with an ever-increasing wage bill is significantly contributing to this climb. But with no detailed data or cost indication to back their claims and explain their position to the students, how can anyone expect the students to react with anything other than disdain?

There does not appear to be any form of REAL transparency in the actions of the administration and given the current state of sorry affairs, this looks set to continue.

Salman SG

Agree, no transparency and they will never allow transparency on this issue.

They want to raise fees because they want to fund overseas expansion, something which they know you won't agree with.
Mark my words, they will expand overseas.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

You think I don't know? You think money is infinite?

I compared. In Australia Dollars, their own students paid $6980 from ECU. Converting to Singapore Dollars, it will be $8000 plus.

Learn to compete and stop whining. The more you whine the less competitive you are

You think we never do so?

Salman SG

Not happy? Go Australia and study there. Its that simple.

Want to compete? Welcome competition and don't complain.