STUDENT groups from the University of the East-Manila filed a complaint before the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education seeking an investigation of the “unjust disqualification” of the scholarship grants of over 1,000 UE students.

University Student Council President Justine Jae Calatong wrote to Senator Joel Villanueva, urging him to immediately look into the students’ concerns.

“Amid the second semester, the University administration, without providing any reason, revoked the scholarships of more than 1,000 students in the university and were required to pay for their full tuition and other school fees,” USC said.

“The qualified scholars were able to enroll for the 2nd semester with the promise of being entitled to receive full or half discounts on their tuition and other school fees for the 2nd semester,” it added.

Calatong said students have asked school officials for a dialogue but their pleas fall on deaf ears.

“The revocation of scholarship, without proper notice and just explanation, seems to be a recurring problem in the university where policies are always unfavorable to the welfare of the students,” she added.

Calatong pointed out that students can’t afford the full fees and believed that they “fell on a debt trap through the promise of scholarship.”

“Many students considered the scholarship program of the university as their only hope to continue their education in the institution. These students despite the hardships brought by the pandemic crisis, managed to work hard and achieve academic excellence during the 1st semester of Academic Year 2020-2021,” she said.