PolSci student opposes college degree requirement among politicians in speech contest

By Abrecht Mauro Beltran

Fourth-year Political Science student, Jeremiah Baniqued, left the audience second-guessing on requiring public officials to have a college degree in ‘Hakbang: Boses ng Kabataan, Destinasyong Kamalayan,’ a university-wide speech contest, held at the Ozanam AVR last February 13.

“When education is not liberating, the dream of the oppressed is to become the oppressor,” Baniqued quoted from Paul Priere’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed in opposing the amendment of the qualifications for politicians by making a college diploma compulsory for running.

Baniqued, who also chairs the Students’ Rights and Welfare their concerns over the proposed TOSFI last March 20 during the consultation meeting attended by Adamson University Student Government (AUSG), Adamson Graduate School Student Association (AGSSA), Adamson University Alumni Association Inc. (AUAAI), and Faculty and Employee Association.

Committee of the Adamson University Student Government, explained that a leader with corrupted morals will manifest wickedness, no matter how welleducated they are. “A college degree alone does not guarantee the moral competence of a politician,” he added.

According to the AUSG, the TOSFI would only add up to the financial burden of the students. Furthermore, the student body representative questioned the lack of professors during prelims, which resulted in students struggling to comply with rushed academic requirements.

AGSSA also disapproved the TOSFI proposal. However, the Faculty and Employee Association, as part of the working force, were in favor of the increase. The AUAAl also expressed their support for the proposal.

In his closing remarks, Vice President for Financial Affairs Fr. Rafael Eloriaga assured that any increase will “get down to quality education.” He also guaranteed that the management will remain open to any form of communication.