Chile: Teachers and students continue the protest against profiting with education

 

Chile, August 18, 2011

 

Teachers and students in Chile still maintains the pace of mobilization as seen in the past week, 240,000 people across the country. They rejected a government proposal, calling it ”unseemly.”

The fight against profiting with education continues with its emblem in Santiago. There,the leader of the Teachers, Jaime Gajardo, said: “We have kept the level of attendance [to the demonstration], despite the difficulties due to the weather and other obstacles. The balance is extremely positive and demonstrates that the movement is not tired, we do not see any cracks and it keeps rising.”

Meanwhile, Camila Vallejo, of the CONFECH, said: “The answer of [the education minister, Felipe] Bulnes was unseemly. There is an inconsistency when the government says it wants dialogue and presents projects without talking.”

She emphasized that the proposal “reaffirms the market model based on the profit motive in education,” which goes against what they are mobilizing for.