Education Reform

Andres has not had school for four weeks. Not because he's on summer break like our schools are (it's winter in the southern hemisphere), but because the students are on strike. They are on strike to bring reform to the public university education system in Chile. They want the cost of education to be lowered (many are actually calling for it to be gratis or free, but I'm told they don't expect that really to happen) and the money for education that comes from the government to be distributed more equally among the different universities. I don't understand a lot of it because I really can't imagine something like this happening in the U.S.- I feel like our government would laugh at us and fail us all for the semester, all while keeping our tuition money. But I do support Andres and his classmates and I hope the Minister of Education meets some of their demands (yes, they have demands!). 


My observations on the student-led strike and protest marches (and please remember that these are my personal opinions and I realize that I am not expert by far on these matters, especially since I am not there):

• Most of the professors support the students being on strike
• It seems most everybody supports the students. I haven't heard one person speak out against them being on strike. If you look at the pictures on Eileen's blog you'll notice that family members, including grandparents!, come out and march with the students
• Students in Chile are taking on more debt than I realized. With the amount of student loans they're taking on and the lower cost of living there (which also means a lower salary than here), they will be paying off that debt for many, many years
• It amazes me the power these students have. They have shut down their universities. And it's not because they don't want to go to school or because they want to waste their education, but because they think it is extremely unjust the way their education system is run, especially the profit end of it. They are getting the attention of their government and the government (and the whole country) is listening, even if the Education Minister has not done anything yet
• From what I've seen and heard about, the youth in Chile seem to protest or have marches a lot. Way more than here. And sometimes those marches seem pointless to me and the violence and destruction that comes from them seem pointless. This is not one of those pointless protests or marches. This is important. And the pointless violence, harm and destruction seems to be coming from the government.
• I saw this youtube video (see below) today and the university students staged a flashmob dance to Michael Jackson's Thriller. They dressed up as zombies and had signs that said "I'm dying from debt". I think this was a very creative way for them to make their point and it seems very well organized with a high number of people participating. I'm impressed.

Okay, that's enough from me. I'll send you to recent posts from two bloggers who are actually in Chile. I really recommend that you read Abby's words and see her pictures here and here. And Eileen's here.