Tens of thousands of Chilean students,
workers, and teachers have been resisting Chilean President Sebastian
Pinera’s “free market” attacks on education and demanding the
right to quality and affordable education. The protests started
gradually with smaller actions in May, leading to numerous
occupations.
The highly organized students and their
allies then staged massive demonstrations across the country
demanding an end to the Chilean school voucher system and its
replacement with a public education system managed by the state.
At the university level, the
students are demanding an end to the current financing policy in
which schools are underfunded and private banks are able to make
state-guaranteed student loans to fund the high tuitions.
For the past two months, hundreds of
high schools have been occupied by students. In the face of
government warnings that tens of thousands would be forced to repeat
the entire school year, students are continuing to demand an end to
for-profit schools, lower interest rates on loans and year-around bus
passes.
Most demonstrations have taken place in
the capital Santiago, but there have also been actions in other major
cities including Valparaiso, Concepcion and Temuco.
Thousands tried to march on the
presidential palace Aug. 4 but were quickly repressed by police
equipped with teargas and riot gear. Certain legislative members have
called for an end to the brutal repression.
Hundreds of students recently occupied
a Chilean television station until producers agreed to air their
message. (Buenos Aires Herald, Aug. 5)
So far more than 800 protesters have
been arrested as the right-wing government under Pinera has attempted
to suppress the student-led movement. Polls show he is now more
unpopular than any leader since the fall of the fascist dictator
Augusto Pinochet. (Guardian, Aug. 5)
Negotiations between the government and
the student movement are taking place as the Pinera administration
offers inadequate concessions.
“It is not an injection of resources
we are talking about,” said University of Santiago student board
president Camilo Ballestero. “We want a structural reform with
equitable access.” (Bernama, Aug. 3)
Under capitalism, a constant struggle
is needed to prevent the ruling class from rolling back the gains
made in public education and other social services. The Chilean
student fight-back movement is a good example of a militant offensive
against heightened capitalist attacks and for high-quality public
education.
