With the participation of Congressmen, Unions and Social Organizations, the letter to be sent to the President of the Republic, Iván Duque Márquez, was presented to the media and the community in general, requesting financial resources for the University of Cauca.

 

https://youtu.be/wE7SpWCJjoI

 

"We believe that at the moment and in these conditions that we are living where there are many people who cannot work, as they normally did, and to support their families is the responsibility of President Iván Duque, to alleviate this burden on families, especially the enrollment of students of the Universidad del Cauca both undergraduate and postgraduate ", said during his speech Estefany Arana, student of Social Communication and member of the group Me Gusta Unicauca, who are leading this initiative that seeks to send a letter to the president of the Republic, Iván Duque Márquez, where the National Government is requested to assume the enrollment of all undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Universidad del Cauca.

 

The student added that they understand that the State must guarantee the right to education, this implies understanding that the University belongs to everyone and especially to Caucans, because it contributes a lot to the department and that is why many people have joined the petition.

 

For his part, the rector of the University of Cauca, José Luis Diago Franco expressed a university greeting to all the participants of the press conference. “The letter shows the situation that the Caucan families live in informality and this affects the resources that each family has allocated to pay for higher education. At the moment, with family resources, the University of Cauca finances part of its own resources and with the coronavirus we are having difficulties in billing these enrollments. ”

 

In turn, the Senator of the Republic, Luis Fernando Velasco Chaves recognized the student activism in defense of the University and public education. "According to a recent economic study, the fiscal cost of the annual exemptions provided by the Nation is calculated at more than 23 trillion pesos, generally concentrated in very powerful sectors of the economy, especially financial and mining. I think we should review that and focus more on those who really need it, today education needs it, the University needs it, and I would propose that we turn that letter into a proposition and that we lead its approval in the Senate plenary. ”

 

He added that he is aware that other Senators are leading this type of proposal, for which he proposes to make a large group to achieve a greater effort by the National Government towards public higher education.

 

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=370686227235397

 

Likewise, during his speech, Senator Temístocles Ortega Narváez congratulated the initiative and called for continuing along this path. "It is clear that the impact on resources for all Colombians is great and it is clear that the most affected will be the popular and middle classes, poverty will increase, the effort we have to make is because that increase is not every growing, and this demands a permanent activity in all aspects. The issue of enrollment in public and private universities is a national debate and coordination of specific efforts is required. We are ready to take this initiative and take it to the Senate of the Republic and make it become a proposal of the Colombian Congress for President Duque and try efforts to get the best results. ”

 

Martha Agredo, councilor of the city of Popayán welcomed the initiative of Me Gusta Unicauca that favors not only students but thousands of families, who are affected in this economic crisis that Popayán, the Department and the country are going through.

 

“In Cauca only 5% of young people manage to access higher education, but additionally it is very difficult to sustain oneself due to the poverty that exists in our Department. Now statisticians say that we have wasted ten years in the fight against poverty, which means that many of the families that were reaching the middle class are going back and forth, and this will mean that many students cannot stay in college, so It is important that all students can access these initiatives as zero enrollment because the current situation affects all strata, the lowest to the middle class. Without a doubt we will be from the Council of Popayán promoting and motivating so that more people support this initiative and accompanying the draft agreement that the Mayor of Popayán has filed against what has been called the Municipal Educational Fund, "said the Councilor.

 

“We are proud to participate in this civic act that is being carried out in favor of the Universidad del Cauca and its students. We are firm to support this commendable initiative that is being advanced. I have heard that other universities already have this same initiative, just of course, it is up to the Senators to bring together all the parliamentarians from Cauca and other departments, because it is a national cause, so that the resources of the exemptions are distributed in favor of the students of Colombia”, pointed out Jorge Alberto Campo Perdomo, president of the Association of Engineers of Cauca.

 

More Info:

 

“Me Gusta” Unicauca Collective