Government Rejects Controversial Rise in University Fees

The government has rejected the increase in fees demanded for evening classes at university for the next academic year by the Higher Education Council (YÖK).

Up to 500 percent increase planned

The fees that students had been asked to pay were to range from 71 to 591 TL (34 to 281 Euros). Medical faculties were going to charge the most, followed by dental medicine and pharmacology with 494 TL (235 Euros).

The most dramatic increases were to be for evening classes at university. Literature faculties were going to ask for 2,426 TL, state conservatories for 3,952 TL, veterinary faculties for between 1,976 and 5,276 TL, and engineering faculties for between 1,416 and 2,400 TL.

The rate of increase for formal education is now going to be around 8 percent.

The Students' Collective said in a statement that the change in increases was due to student protests.

According to the Zaman newspaper, the Prime Minister intervened to reduce the increase in fees for evening classes to eight percent. The same article said that the Ministry of Finance reduced YÖK's rate. The Ministry of Education has sent the new rates to the Prime Ministerial Office, and the Cabinet is yet to make a decision.

Members of the Students' Collective protested against the rises at a workshop on higher education held at the Marmara Hotel in Istanbul, as well as with protests in other cities around Turkey.

In reaction to the article in the Zaman newspaper, which they called "a supporter of the Justice and Development Party (AKP)", the students criticised the portrayal of the situation as if the Prime Minister was responsible for changing everyone's mind. (BÇ/AG)