Back to picket lines?
Photo: Hagai Aharon
Ultimatum expires on students’ overtures
Deadline arrives for students’ final condition pertaining to increase in tuition for upcoming academic year. Student leaders to meet government officials in attempt to prevent additional strike
The student leadership’s ultimatum will expire on Sunday but their demands have not yet been answered
They have warned that if tuition increases they plan on striking once more.
National Student Union Chairman Boaz Toporovsky and the head of Israel's Student Organization Netanel Izak will meet with Budget Director Ram Belnikov on Sunday morning.
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The purpose of the meeting is to try and confirm the promise made to the students several months ago in which tuition costs will remain frozen.
It is still unclear what the outcome of the meeting will be. The Finance Ministry said on Saturday evening that they, “don’t tend to refer to meetings that have not yet been conducted.”
The students said that they hope the government honors the agreement it, signed which led to the end of the last student strike.
Izak said towards the meeting that “we hope that the government’s higher education soap opera will end tomorrow.
“Perhaps in the last episode they will honor the agreements they signed and save us all from a prolonged and unnecessary struggle, we just want to study in peace.”
Chairman of the Lobby for Schoolchildren and Students Alex Miller discussed the expected meeting and the ultimatum and said, “The government needs to confirm the freezing of tuition.
“If it doesn’t do so, the higher education system will enter an unnecessary whirlwind that can harm the opening of the upcoming school year.
“The academic situation in Israel is bad and this is the time to abide by agreements and take strengthening measures instead of causing pointlessness which will bring another failure,” said Miller.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced last week that he will be the one to make the decision on tuition costs for the upcoming academic year.
However, he did not mention if he intends on raising the issue in Sunday’s governmental meeting.
Over the past several days discussions were held between Education Minister Yuli Tamir and Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel which were initiated by Olmert in an attempt to find a solution to the fallout.
Two weeks ago, the students received a commitment from Olmert and Tamir that tuition will not be increased. Earlier, it was reported to Ynet that a decision was made to raise tuition by NIS 1,000 (about $275).
