Representatives of the Confederation of Students of Chile (Confech) presented this Monday before the Education Commission of the Chamber of Deputies to request the increase in the amount of the Food Scholarship for Higher Education (BAES), dependent on the Junaeb, and which remains at 32 thousand pesos per month since 2012, equivalent to 1,600 pesos per day from Monday to Friday.
“In 2012, when the BAES was readjusted to 32,000 pesos, the basic basket had a value of 31,029 pesos. In August 2021, the basic basket is 48,260 pesos according to information from the Ministry of Social Development,” Confech spokeswoman Verónica Parra told the commission.
Therefore, students request that the amount of the scholarship be updated to 1.5 UF, equivalent to about 45 thousand pesos per month. Along with this, they ask that the benefit cover the food of the whole year, including the summer months, and that the shops associated with the scholarship be increased throughout the territory.
“With the 1,600 pesos a day, it reaches a complete and a drink, or two complete without a drink. Higher education is being forced to eat badly because that amount is not enough for a healthy menu,” added the student representative.
The deputy Camila Rojas (Commons), who asked for the session to deal with the increase in the BAES, requested the agreement of the Education Commission to insist on the increase in the scholarship. “I was a beneficiary of the BAES several years ago and I actually had this same amount, 32 thousand pesos, and at that time it was already low for the prices that existed,” said the parliamentarian.
“It is necessary for this commission to insist on increasing the amounts, especially in the framework of the budget discussion,” added the Deputy of Commons.
