Chilean students plan general strike
-
-
- goldenways
- added this
Chilean students have staged protests to push the government to implement educational reforms as they call for a general strike across the country.
Deciding to boycott further talks with the government, Chilean students are expected to have trade unions on their side in a two-day strike on October 18-19, the state-run BBC reported Sunday.
"They did not have the political will to meet the demands of the great majority in our country," said Student leader Camila Vallejo, blaming President Sebastian Pinera's government for the breakdown of negotiations.
Chilean students and teachers have been shunning classes and holding protest rallies for five months to demand free education.
This is while only about 40 percent of school and university students in Chile qualify for free education based on their parents' income.
Chile's education system has been established during the 1973-1990 military rule of former dictator General Augusto Pinochet.
The growing Chilean protests represent the country's largest mass movement since democracy was reestablished in the South American state in 1991.
Deciding to boycott further talks with the government, Chilean students are expected to have trade unions on their side in a two-day strike on October 18-19, the state-run BBC reported Sunday.
"They did not have the political will to meet the demands of the great majority in our country," said Student leader Camila Vallejo, blaming President Sebastian Pinera's government for the breakdown of negotiations.
Chilean students and teachers have been shunning classes and holding protest rallies for five months to demand free education.
This is while only about 40 percent of school and university students in Chile qualify for free education based on their parents' income.
Chile's education system has been established during the 1973-1990 military rule of former dictator General Augusto Pinochet.
The growing Chilean protests represent the country's largest mass movement since democracy was reestablished in the South American state in 1991.
-
- groups:
- Community, News and Politics, Human Rights, Activism
-
- tags:
- News, News and Politics, Education, Activism, 3 more
