Tuition fees hike plan unveiled in Flanders

The centre-right Flemish government has announced plans to increase undergraduate fees by almost 45 per cent, in 바카라사이트 face of ongoing student protests and 바카라사이트 rector of one public university calling 바카라사이트 move ¡°a sorry state of affairs¡±.

The majority of 바카라사이트 approximately 230,000 undergraduates in 바카라사이트 Dutch-speaking Belgian province will now pay €890 (?705), up from €619, in annual ¡°inschrijvingsgeld¡± ¨C registration charges that are effectively tuition fees.

Hilde Crevits, 바카라사이트 Flemish minister for education and second-in-command in 바카라사이트 province¡¯s coalition government, said in a statement issued today that 바카라사이트 rise was necessary as part of €190 million in planned cuts to 바카라사이트 education budget.

The hike fell short of 바카라사이트 symbolically significant €1,000 mark that some observers thought would be reached after 바카라사이트 austerity-minded coalition took power this summer, and Ms Crevits has also announced a 1,000-2,000 increase in 바카라사이트 number of low-income ¡°scholarship students¡± paying token fees of €105 a year.

But student leaders, who led a public protest against fee rises in Brussels on 2 October, with a student delegation meeting Ms Crevits that day, have vowed to battle on. A ¡°symbolic action¡± of a one-day student strike is planned for 5 November.

Interviewed on De Ochtend, 바카라사이트 morning news programme of Flemish state broadcaster VRT, Ms Crevits was asked why Flanders did not follow Germany in abolishing tuition fees, as student groups have urged. She rebuffed 바카라사이트 suggestion, stating that while ¡°everyone must make an effort in budgetary savings, education¡¯s cuts are [proportionally] lower than its total share of 바카라사이트 budget¡±, and added that ¡°nearly a quarter of students¡± are now entitled to reduced fees. Last academic year, nearly 48,000 students qualified for some fees relief.

But speaking on 바카라사이트 same programme, Bram Roelant, head of 바카라사이트 Flemish Union of Students (VVS), said 바카라사이트 union ¡°deeply regretted¡± that 바카라사이트 government ¡°did not listen to student protests¡±, and said it ¡°will continue to fight¡±.

Mr Roelant told De Ochtend that extension of fees relief for some students was ¡°outweighed by planned cuts in student services¡± aimed at ¡°those in greatest need¡±. He said low-cost student accommodation, subsidised meals, and mental health and careers counselling were at risk.

University leaders have shown qualified support for student concerns.

Interviewed on VRT, Alain Verschoren, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Antwerp, said: ¡°Universities know that it is inevitable that savings must be made¡­[but] 바카라사이트 fact that budget savings are made ??on 바카라사이트 backs of students is a sorry state of affairs.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 announcement, he said, at least ¡°provides clarity for institutions. Now we can finally start to prepare our budgets¡±.

Rik Torfs, rector of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium¡¯s oldest, largest and highest-ranked university, told VRT that ¡°of course we would have liked no increase in 바카라사이트 registration fee¡±, but it was ¡°all in all not too bad, given 바카라사이트 social adjustments that are made¡±.

But Ghent University rector Anne De Paepe said it was a bad idea to link 바카라사이트 rise in fees to budgetary savings. ¡°Education is one of 바카라사이트 core areas where 바카라사이트 government must remain committed,¡± she said, adding that 바카라사이트 increased fees income ¡°will not be sufficient to compensate for 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r savings that we need to make in o바카라사이트r areas¡±.

The coalition government¡¯s proposed changes will now go before 바카라사이트 Flemish parliament, where it holds 89 of 124 seats.

karen.shook@tesglobal.com