Education Not Emigration

salam alaik, greetings!

a friend once told me to write about irish culture or any current issues in ireland. so, here goes one! well, since last week, i've seen students going around the college wearing t-shirt with 'Education Not Emigration' written on it. there were also a lot of posters here and there. I was wondering what is it all about? so, today i got my answer after Scott Ahearn, the guy in charge for students' welfare; made a speech just before CSI lecture (the lecture was cancelled anyway).

Scott said: "I'm so pissed off with the government!!", as he bang his hand on the desk. (yea, we can see that!)boy, he's a great speaker! *big clap to him!* He was very angry because Irish government is about to increase the third level college registration fees from €1500 to €3000, which will make college unaffordable for students already struggling.

Ireland is one of the country largely affected by recession. Education in Ireland is highly subsidised by the government, in other word, education is free for irish, except that they have to pay €1500 for registration fee. in dealing with the current economic crisis, Irish Government will be making savage cutbacks of €4 billion or more in the Budget in December. Therefore, Irish Education system is under threat of enormous cuts and students in particular are being targeted by the Government to foot the bill for their mistakes, and the cost of the €50 billion bank bailout. The registration fee in Irealnd has already increased 689% in the past 15 years, surpassing most European countries to become on of highest fees in Europe. BOI estimates that an average degree costs €44k to complete. If the registration fee doubles, this will send the figure skyrocketing upwards.

At the same time, irish unemployment is at 14%, and graduates are leaving the country at a rate of over 1,000 a week. Ireland is losing their best and brightest to the Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The Government has so far failed to make any serious attempt at tackling the problem.

So, Scott made the speech in the lecture hall today to persuade the irish students specifically to join the national march on november 3rd, this wednesday, at parnell square. this march is to protest against any attempt by the Government to

1) increase the Registration Fee above €1500. the UCD SU proposes: capping the reg fee.
2) cut the level of the Maintenance Grant. UCD SU proposes: grant levels must be preserved.

This march is also to urge the Government to roll out a graduate internship programme to stem the tide of graduate emigration. Irish graduate unemployment has increased 22 times faster than Eurozone average.

For more information, please visit http://www.educationnotemigration.ie/wp/.

to watch the national march promotion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXzp8VI-Zu0&feature=player_embedded

if im one of the irish, i'd definitely join the national march after hearing Scott's speech! how can they (the irish) afford not to be there when their future is at stake? this makes me wonder, how does education system in Malaysia actually runs? For all i know, it's not free right? which is why there's PTPTN, MARA, ..and so on.

oh btw, through my observation, ireland universities have strong student union. seems to me like they have the power to influence direction of students. the coming march on november 3rd is a brilliant example. they even come to every apartment in the residence to spread the agenda. the student unions are gathering students all across dublin to march and protest against the government decision. from my point of view, this definitely will never happen in malaysia. if ever there is any planning on this sort of protest, im pretty sure the mastermind will be caught even before the event could happen; and placed under ISA. Akta Universiti (AUKU) will be used against the students, just like what happened to 4 undergraduate students in UKM last September (if im not mistaken).

AUKU pindaan 2008 ada menyebut:

Tiada seorang pun pelajar Universiti dan tiada pertubuhan, badan atau kumpulan pelajar Universiti yang ditubuhkan oleh, di bawah atau mengikut Perlembagaan, boleh menyatakan atau melakukan apa-apa jua yang boleh semunasabahnya ditafsirkan sebagai menyatakan sokongan kepada atau simpati dengan atau bangkangan terhadap:

(a) mana-mana parti politik, sama ada di dalam atau di luar Malaysia;
(b) mana-mana pertubuhan, badan atau kumpulan orang yang menyalahi undang-undang, sama ada di dalam atau di luar Malaysia; atau
(c) mana-mana pertubuhan, badan atau kumpulan orang yang ditetapkan oleh Menteri di bawahperenggan (1)(c) dan (2)(c) sebagai tidak sesuai demi kepentingan dan kesentosaan pelajar atau Universiti itu.

students, the young generation, the successor of the future, yet are tied with the act; which has been revised again in 2008. yes, there should be a limit, but with the revised act, it seems to me, the voice of the young leaders are even harder to be heard. this is what i feel - any ideas that go against the political stream of the leading government will not be entertained. but i must stress here, im not going against the government okay! hehe..just some pure thought though. aku masih mentah dalam dunia politik ni..

teringat pujangga hikmat Pak Sukarno, "berikan aku 10 orang muda, nescaya akan ku gegarkan dunia."