Friday, July 22, 2011

Student Protests

The current education system is founded upon neoliberalism, privatisation, a climate of over-expectation and promises of social mobility. However, Chilean society is stratified, with a small group holding all the privileges. There is no real room for meritocracy or equal opportunities. For instance, the unemployment rate among young people (15.2%) is more than double the national average. Most young people are building up frustration by seeing how their hopes for the future clash with the sad reality.

The clearest reflection of this inequality in Chile can be seen in education. As a result of a series of reforms, Chile has developed one of the world's most segregated education systems, with insufficient state participation. This has translated into a growing privatisation trend in education since the 1980s, whit a proliferation of private universities (very few of which are decent) which despite being classified as non-profit organisations, nevertheless yield juicy returns for their owners thanks to a series of subterfuges.

Students and teachers understand that strengthening public education will greatly contribute to building a fairer society and a better democracy. The neoliberal reforms that promoted competition and privatisation have failed because they have been unable to bridge the existing social divides and have perpetuated privileges.

Some say that the Chilean education system is not in crisis; however, they say nothing of the inequality or the quality of the education. Luckily, we are mobilizing to remind us that a better public education means a better country.

Despite the damage caused by a few, also has a kind of mobilization not seen before, much more original, entertaining and in the protests have congregated so many heteregoneous people, to realize the awareness of the problem we have taken not only students but also parents and grandparents and the most varied types of organizations, such as teachers, parbularias, football matches, and others who were not on TV.

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