Youth organizations, students and teachers are calling Saturday for rallies in Paris and in the region against rising university fees for young people from countries outside Europe. A mobilization that comes at the same time as "act 3" Yellow Vests.
Youth organizations, students and teachers call Saturday rallies in Paris and the region against rising university fees for young people from countries outside Europe, they fear that it foreshadows a rise for all students.
The call was launched by the UNEF (National Union of French Students), the second student union, and other youth organizations, joined by the Fage (federation of general student associations), the first student union. Trade unions of higher education staff also call to gather Saturday noon place of the Pantheon in Paris, as well as in several major cities.
"We may fear that this is a first step"
The stated goal is to roll back the government, which announced on November 19 a sharp increase in tuition fees for students residing outside the European Economic Area (EEA). From the start of the 2019 school year, these students will have to pay 2,770 euros in a bachelor's degree and 3,770 euros in a master's and PhD program, compared to 170 euros for a year of undergraduate training, 243 euros for a master's degree and 380 euros for a doctorate program. young Europeans.
This increase will notably increase the number of scholarships or exemptions from registration fees, which will benefit "15 000 students in the coming months" , coming mainly from developing countries, (against 7 000 today) argues the government. Prime Minister Édouard Philippe also said he wanted to welcome 500,000 foreign students to France by 2027, compared to just over 300,000 at present, thanks in particular to a simplified administrative reception.
The UNEF describes as unacceptable "these increases in registration fees". They "will prevent thousands of foreign students from studying in France and will only allow those from the wealthiest social classes , " according to the union. Snesup-FSU, which represents professors of higher education, sees in the government's announcement "the technique of small steps." "It is feared that this will be a first step towards higher fees for all students" , European and French, said Hervé Christofol, Secretary General. This assumption has been firmly denied by the government.
This call for rallies on Saturday, which occurs on the same day as "Act 3" of the mobilization of yellow vests, will be followed by other actions, ensure student unions.