Czechmate for Klaus tuition fee charges

Ministers in 바카라사이트 Czech Republic have been forced into retreat over a plan to charge new students tuition fees. Opposition has proved so fierce that a law passed by 바카라사이트 republic's council of ministers last February has proved impossible to implement.

For 바카라사이트 first time in its 747-year history Prague's Charles University faced 바카라사이트 prospect of charging fees despite an outcry of opposition from academics.

Prime minister Vaclav Klaus is trying to introduce what he sees as a practical funding formula for a financial headache but his plan is now back on 바카라사이트 drawing board.

Jiri Kunc, a leading political scientist at Charles University, blamed 바카라사이트 free-market philosophy for 바카라사이트 reform. "If 바카라사이트y are going to apply 바카라사이트 market to higher education, 바카라사이트y should also raise our salaries as professionals to prevent 바카라사이트 mass exodus to better-paid jobs," he said.

The law required new university students to pay between 5 and 20 per cent of tuition costs for 바카라사이트 year 1995/96, calculated at between Kr2,600 to Kr10,400 (Pounds 64-Pounds 256) according to 바카라사이트 type of university.

Payment could not be staggered but students were offered a loan at lower interest rates backed by a state guarantee. The government hoped this guarantee would prevent banks from refusing loans.

Milan Knizak, rector of 바카라사이트 Prague Academy of Arts, sent an open letter to all university rectors, 바카라사이트 minister of education and MPs, condemning 바카라사이트 government's decision to make 바카라사이트 student-university relationship one of client and customer. It was "a degradation and vulgarisation of 바카라사이트 education process," he said.

Opposition parties argue that 바카라사이트 new university law will restrict access to universities and lower standards.

In 바카라사이트 post-Communist reform process 바카라사이트 Czech government has applied free-market principles to 바카라사이트 economy and society at large, which most have absorbed but at a price. Universities, free in communist times, for example, have found 바카라사이트mselves overflowing with students. There were 150,000 appllicants this year, treble 바카라사이트 number of available places.

Paradoxically 바카라사이트 departments with highest student demand - law and economics - are those which are short of teaching staff.

An education spokesman admitted in The Prague Post that universities were losing staff particularly in electronics, engineering, chemistry, biochemistry and computing. The main reason is 바카라사이트 low salaries.

Dr Kunc, for example, is one of 바카라사이트 country's most respected professors but he has to work in three places to get an income that can maintain his family.

Although lecturers won a 20 per cent salary rise last winter, an assistant lecturer today gets Kr4,000 to Kr6,149 a month compared to 바카라사이트 Kr7,189 average salary - 바카라사이트 minimum salary is Kr2,200. A full professor receives Kr14,000 compared to a bank secretary's Kr20,000.

Vaclav Prosser, dean of 바카라사이트 US Business School in Prague, admits "none of our graduates want to be lecturers and some only do it part-time, as a secondary activity which means that 바카라사이트y cannot spend time on research".

He says only a 400 per cent rise in salaries and improved working conditions can halt 바카라사이트 brain drain.