Students to demonstrate against high tuition fees

THE MOVEMENT for the Reduction of Tuition Fees and the Review of the Law on Private Universities, and the Protoporia Student Movement yesterday announced plans for demonstrations outside the three private universities and outside the Ministry of Education. Both groups blasted what they view as an intentional delay by the Minister of Education to prepare a bill to reform the current law on private universities.

“We call the Minister of Education to explain. Is it is because of his interests with the university owners that the preparation of the bill has been delayed? Or is just a matter of incompetence?” said Giorgos Panayiotou, President of Protoporia Executive Committee.

“In October 2008 the Minister had assured us through the media that it was a matter of weeks for the bill to be sent to Legal Services and then submitted to parliament. One whole year later and after repeated assurances, and all political parties declaring their readiness to vote the bill, there is still no bill,” Panayiotou added.

The demonstration will take place on October 7 and will see the Movement for the Reduction of Tuition Fees and the Review of the Law on Private Universities demonstrating outside the universities, and Protoporia demonstrating outside the Ministry of Education.

For the 2009 academic years, tuition fees at private universities in Cyprus were approximately €8,000. However, private university owners claim that state university students cost the taxpayer more than double the cost of private tuition fees, arguing that it is unfair that private universities are asked to maintain the same standard with less income.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.