The recent vigil by University of Jordan students protesting the hikes in tuition fees raises important issues that universities need to mull on.

From the university’s perspective, the 30 to 100 per cent increase in fees for the so-called “parallel” and post-graduate levels of education is necessary to offset some of the costs it incurs.

The university says it is running a 27 per cent deficit in its JD140 million budget.

Students counter that these serious increases in tuition fees run counter to their right to education, making it out of reach for most.

The right to education is sacrosanct among the range of human rights.

Paragraph 2(c) of Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights says that “higher education shall be made accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education”.

In other words, countries, big or small, developed or developing, must endeavour to provide university education free, as much as possible, by progressively reducing its costs to students.

While understanding the University of Jordan’s struggle to make ends meet, especially when it is called upon to offer excellent levels of education, as it used to, it still needs to keep in mind the binding international norms that call for a progressive introduction of free higher education.

Education is a priority for all governments and funds must be made available to ensure that all benefit from it from sources other than tuition fees.

The government may run a budget deficit itself, but it surely knows that investment in education is the most rewarding return in the long run, one that ensures the true development of the country.

On the other hand, universities might wish to consider partnering with private sector entities for mutual benefit.

Money spent on education is money well spent.