06/07/2006
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The students are demonstrating again. Following a negotiations deadlock with
the government, thousands once again thronged the streets on June 5 to demand
better education in step with the times. It was the second strike in a week, and
the first time since 1973 that a protest of such proportions has rocked the consciences
of Chileans.
In addition to the general need to change the country’s education and hence to
revise the entire system, the students also submitted specific demands. First
and foremost, free transport and tax-exempt university admission tests so as to
favour education for the not so well-off students as well.
“Secondary students today are rallying and fighting for a goal that is much more
important than a reduction of costs or free school transport,” wrote Luis Sepulveda.
“They are passing judgment on one of the last measures the dictatorship took shortly
before taking flight, destined to making the injustice of the economic model inherited
by the governments following the Concertation eternal. This is the only way to
understand why the hierarchies of the dictatorship procrastinated more than ten
years to once and for all establish a teaching system that left the quality of
education in the hands of the market. On March 10, 1990, exactly one day before
that thief of Pinochet left power, the constitutional organic law on education
was furtively promulgated, thus handing primary, secondary and university education
over to the dictatorship of the market, turning it into a business in which it
is paradoxically the State that is putting up the funds.” He then added, “The
students’ struggle has wide-reaching goals and the most important one concerns
the country’s imagination which a democratic government must necessarily recover.
Do we want a country where the majority of young people are condemned to precariousness
due to a lack of modern training? Do we want a country where the majority of young
people have to conform to observing, dumbfounded, the scientific and technological
marvels produced elsewhere, owing to a lack of dynamic training that draws them
closer to the global challenges of the future? Do we want a country where ‘the
freedom of enterprise and market’ decides up to which level of cultural, scientific
and technological development we can reach, so as to not harm the ‘competitiveness’
of the more advanced countries and companies? Do we want to continue being a country
that exports sweets and imports computers? Chilean students certainly don’t want
all this, and Michelle Bachelet’s government has the duty and moral obligation
to listen to and understand every one of their demands because they are talking
about the future, they are starting to imagine another possible Chile, and this
is truly a marvellous exercise in democracy.”
printsend
Students are striking again in Chile. Thousands demonstrate, calling for a new system
The students are demonstrating again. Following a negotiations deadlock with
the government, thousands once again thronged the streets on June 5 to demand
better education in step with the times. It was the second strike in a week, and
the first time since 1973 that a protest of such proportions has rocked the consciences
of Chileans.
University students stood side by side with secondary school students, taking
the number of Monday’s strikers to one million, scattered throughout various cities
in Chile. Santiago saw the largest number of demonstrators.
In spite of the fact that the organizers had pushed for peaceful demonstrations,
several youths improvised stone fights and attacks against shopping centre store
windows, and police officers responded with fire hoses and tear gas. On many occasions
the situation degenerated in this manner, and barricades were put up in various
key points of the city. Law enforcement sources also spoke of 20 injured police
officers and reporters. But one thing is sure: 262 young people were arrested.
President of the Republic Michelle Bachelet defined this second strike as “unnecessary”.
“I’m sorry it recurred. The students had made their voices heard and they did
so peacefully,” he commented. “I had already stated that their demands for an
education of better quality are just and legitimate. This umpteenth strike was
unnecessary. We seriously and responsibly agreed to their proposals, and what’s
more, we took on the enormous responsibility of reforming the quality of education
because it is right and because it is necessary.”
In addition to the general need to change the country’s education and hence to
revise the entire system, the students also submitted specific demands. First
and foremost, free transport and tax-exempt university admission tests so as to
favour education for the not so well-off students as well. But secondary school students called a strike to the bitter end. One hundred
schools are still occupied. During the night they met in the poorer neighbourhoods,
where they protested in the manner that Chileans inaugurated under the dictatorship
of Augusto Pinochet: by beating pots and honking car horns. It is precisely a
law passed by Pinochet that still governs teaching in Chile, and this demonstration
is therefore tinged with a deep-rooted anger and a desire for deliverance.
“Secondary students today are rallying and fighting for a goal that is much more
important than a reduction of costs or free school transport,” wrote Luis Sepulveda.
“They are passing judgment on one of the last measures the dictatorship took shortly
before taking flight, destined to making the injustice of the economic model inherited
by the governments following the Concertation eternal. This is the only way to
understand why the hierarchies of the dictatorship procrastinated more than ten
years to once and for all establish a teaching system that left the quality of
education in the hands of the market. On March 10, 1990, exactly one day before
that thief of Pinochet left power, the constitutional organic law on education
was furtively promulgated, thus handing primary, secondary and university education
over to the dictatorship of the market, turning it into a business in which it
is paradoxically the State that is putting up the funds.” He then added, “The
students’ struggle has wide-reaching goals and the most important one concerns
the country’s imagination which a democratic government must necessarily recover.
Do we want a country where the majority of young people are condemned to precariousness
due to a lack of modern training? Do we want a country where the majority of young
people have to conform to observing, dumbfounded, the scientific and technological
marvels produced elsewhere, owing to a lack of dynamic training that draws them
closer to the global challenges of the future? Do we want a country where ‘the
freedom of enterprise and market’ decides up to which level of cultural, scientific
and technological development we can reach, so as to not harm the ‘competitiveness’
of the more advanced countries and companies? Do we want to continue being a country
that exports sweets and imports computers? Chilean students certainly don’t want
all this, and Michelle Bachelet’s government has the duty and moral obligation
to listen to and understand every one of their demands because they are talking
about the future, they are starting to imagine another possible Chile, and this
is truly a marvellous exercise in democracy.” Stella Spinelli
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