BRATISLAVA, March 3, (WEBNOVINY) – Four deputies of the Ordinary People faction, three of whom are members of the SaS deputy club, will not support the revision of the University Act that introduces fees for students of distance learning programs at Slovakia’s higher educational institutions. “We will not support it in this form,” leader of Ordinary People Igor Matovic has announced at a news conference on Thursday. The group dislikes the fact that the state imposed tuition fees on distance learning programs instead of requiring money from students with worst marks. Unless the four of 79 coalition deputies vote for the revision, there will be no guarantee that the norm gets enough support to be passed. The coalition and the four Ordinary People lawmakers have three weeks to arrive at a compromise until the start of the parliamentary session. Matovic opines that if they come together for two hours the coalition representatives could find a better solution.
The Cabinet of Robert Fico enabled fees for distance learning programs in 2007. The Constitutional Court decided last year that a situation when only some students on these programs have to pay fees was unconstitutional. The court also canceled the cap on the number of students on distance learning programs. Matovic has rebuked the Education Ministry for choosing an easier way and imposing fees on all distance-learning students. Ministerial spokesperson Miriam Ziakova told SITA newswire that if the fees were canceled across-the-board, higher educational schools would report an annual shortage of over EUR 20 million. Consequently, the state would be obliged to provide these finances to schools but the ministry is unable to allot such a sum.
Matovic is planning to offer two solutions to his coalition partners, which will upgrade the quality of higher education. One of them is inspired by Harvard and Oxford universities. Ordinary People want fees from students with the poorest marks irrespective of whether they attend daily or distance learning courses. In an ideal situation, twenty percent of students on average would pay the fees, the independent deputy stated. Ziakova counters that presently there is no relevant quality chart of schools compiled in line with exactly set criteria.
SITA
