THE decision by University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) to hike tuition and miscellaneous fees is causing outrage among students who staged a two-day protest to air their distress which started on Wednesday.

The Jamaica Observer understands that there will be an increase to the orientation, foundation modules and three-credit modules.

However, the students are mostly disgruntled about an increase in fees for the three-credit modules for hybrid classes. The increase takes that fee from $30,000 to $37,000 for the next semester while new students entering will pay $43,400 for the same modules.

Additionally, miscellaneous fees for students entering in September will be $20,000. Current students will continue to pay $15,000.

In a letter to students dated May 5, UCC said with no governmental financial support, the institution relies exclusively on tuition to fund its operations.

Further it said, “Despite the economic conditions in Jamaica and especially in recognition of the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our students, the institution has kept its tuition fees constant for the past four years”.

“However, the continuing depreciation of the Jamaican dollar, high levels of inflation and increase in our operating costs mean the university cannot remain sustainable without increasing its tuition. After careful consideration, effective at the beginning of the 2022/2023 academic year (Fall 2022 Semester) the cost of tuition will increase,” the school added.

Students took to various social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram posting their concerns about the school’s intent to increase tuition fees, with the hashtag #BoycottUCC.

Additionally, they have made it clear that protests will be mounted at all five campuses across the island on Wednesday and Thursday, in an attempt to discourage the move on exorbitantly increasing the fees.

The students, who spoke with the Observer, explained that they will face tougher financial challenges.

First-year student Jodian Peters, who is studying social work, is extremely distraught as the tuition hike will be more than her salary.

Peters explained that she is a lab technician at a technical high school earning approximately $55,000 before statutory deductions.

“After [statutory deductions] it’s $40,000 something, with my school deductions it has now been $35,000 per month as my net salary. I am doing three courses per semester, which is roughly $90,000 per semester; calculate that compared to my salary,” she said.

“Now UCC insists on raising the tuition, instead of $30,000 per course, it is going to be $46,500. That is more than what I am taking home for just one course. I have my child to take care of, electricity, rent, water, and Internet just the same. We cannot afford it,” she added.

However, the letter perused by the Observer made it clear that the $46,500 would not be paid by current students until September 2023.

The increase will also pose a challenge for second-year social work student Iyelle Small, who does not have a job.

“My spouse and my mother have been helping and since I sent my mom the information about the increase, she decided that I should stop going to school and find something else to do. The fact that $90,000 coulda pay for three courses per semester, now it can only pay for two courses?” she said.

First-year business administration student Brandon McDonald also expressed surprise at the impending increase.

“It is a big jump. I work and joined a ‘partner’ to pay the school fee. To how I see it, we normally do like five course per semester and if they make this jump, persons would probably have to resort to two or three courses because it would be inequivalent to the same amount we would be paying for five,” he told the Observer.

A second-year psychology student, who requested anonymity, stressed that she is not against hiking school fees, but noted that UCC’s tuition will be unreasonably high.

“We understand that there is inflation and maybe the university is facing unknown challenges and see where an increase is required. However, the percentage increase is too much. The raise not only puts a stress on the efforts that were already being made to attend school but also on many people’s lifestyle,” she said, noting that a five per cent increase would be more manageable.

The letter outlined that current tuition fee for a three-credit module is $30,000. As of the new school year in September 2022, the cost will be $43,400 for new students. Those students entering in September will then pay $46,500 at the start of the January 2023 semester. The same fee will be charged for the summer semester which begins in May 2023.

For returning students, the current tuition fee for a three-credit course will remain at $30,000. The upcoming September semester 2022 and January semester, will see the cost increasing to $37,000, then $46,500 for the summer semester 2023.

The students also argued that even though they have been paying yearly miscellaneous fees, they are not receiving benefits such as health cards, Grammarly Premium and Turnitin.

UCC said the increased fees will be used to cover operating and capital expenses, including hardware and software technology costs, courses and curriculum development, staff and faculty development and utilities.

The increase will also cover repairs and improvements as the school returns to some level of face-to-face delivery via a hybrid modality of classes.