A Case Of Working Students At U.P. Manila

Abstract

Education is well-defined as the harmonious development of all the faculties. Education in the Philippines during the more than four centuries of its colonial existence was an instrument of colonial policy of each of the successive ruling powers. The individual is educated at public expense not for his own sake primarily but for the security of the state."

The study took place in one of the autonomous units of the University of the Philippines system, the University of the Philippines Manila, founded in 1908. Subject of the study are working students enrolled in one of its seven degree granting units. O her variables include their distribution per college, working conditions, academic standing in school, as well their occupation.

At present, the economic crisis and higher rates the country is currently facing have been results of liberalization and grassroots effects of increasing cost of living, fiscal tightening, rising prices, stepped-up inflation and others. Tax have all greatly contributed to increasing cost of education. Causes of the need for work are pushed by the Neo-liberal policies on education as well as Globalization - both are intervening variables have penetrated education as well through the establishment of linkages with profit-oriented industries to generate more revenue. Increasingly, education is no longer a basic social sen,ice and area of government responsibility, but an important business.

From the research conducted, studies show that work is dependent on the student's academic load and demands of their respective colleges. Nearly half of the sample population are enrolled in colleges with minimum academic requirements and loads. On the other hand, colleges with higher demands and academic loads employ the smallest number of working students. Reasons for work vary, but most of which are not entirely for financing education but more of personal funding, allowance and other fees, all of which are being owed to higher inflation rates being pushed by these policies and other government legislations. As a result, state subsidized education has been an arena for profit seeking ventures.