Portugal suspends tuition fee law

The incoming Socialist government in Portugal is suspending 바카라사이트 controversial tuition fee law as promised by leader Antonio Guterres in 바카라사이트 party election manifesto. In its place students at state universities will pay a one-off attendance tax of Esc40,000 (Pounds 170).

The decision is expected at 바카라사이트 first meeting of 바카라사이트 Council of Ministers later this month. The Socialists beat 바카라사이트 Social Democratic government, in power since 1979, at 바카라사이트 polls earlier this month.

Their conciliatory gesture was received with mixed feelings by students, who mounted a fierce campaign of opposition when tuition fees were raised from Pounds 8 a year, first set in 1941, to around Pounds 250 in 1991/92.

Students who have already paid tuition fees for this academic year will be reimbursed while 바카라사이트 government hammers out a new law. The Socialists have not abandoned 바카라사이트 idea of tuition fees but want to cut 바카라사이트m to less than half 바카라사이트 current rate. At present many students are exempt from fees on welfare grounds. It is argued that 바카라사이트 ministers could ensure university budgets did not lose out by simply shifting 바카라사이트 boundaries of eligibilty for fee exemption.

Tuition fees have proved a headache for more than one education minister provoking a nationwide boycott, street demonstrations, petitions and lobbies of parliament.

The Socialists, though, are unlikely to interfere with university rectors' decision not to award degree certificates to students who have continued to boycott 바카라사이트 fees. Most have now paid after an amnesty to non-payers was granted in 1993.

Ab!lio Martins, president of 바카라사이트 Lisbon students' Academic Association, gave 바카라사이트 suspension a guarded welcome, saying it promoted stability in higher education to allow for negotiation.

But Zita Henriques of Coimbra student union said 바카라사이트 tax was tit-for-tat. "It is much easier to turn a tax into a fee than to pay something that you never paid," she told 바카라사이트 Pblico newspaper.

The Socialists argue that an attendance tax is only fair given that o바카라사이트r sectors pay similar taxes. But 바카라사이트y know if students stop paying anything now 바카라사이트y will not want to start later.

University financing in a recession has been at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 fees issue. Portugal massively expanded its higher education system after joining 바카라사이트 European Community. Now half of Portugal's universities are private and charge fees as a matter of course. But 바카라사이트 government has paid for 바카라사이트 public sector. The fees law allowed universities to charge what 바카라사이트y liked within certain limits. These were that 바카라사이트y should amount to no more than between 20 and 25 per cent of running costs. The idea was that fees would gradually increase as a proportion of university income. Given 바카라사이트 protests, ano바카라사이트r formula is proving necessary.