"International Student Movement"

Contact: your name or pseudo                                                                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mobile: your number, if you want
Email: YOUR@OWN.EMAIL (for local inquiries)
 united.for.education@gmail.com (for general inquiries)         
 
UNITED FOR EDUCATION
“International Day of Action against the Commercialization of Education”
 
 
For
many years students, teaching and technical staff and parents around
the world have been resisting steps towards greater commercialization
of public education. Just like every other public sector education
systems are being put under increasing pressure to be more efficient
and competitive on a global level. Doors are opened for companies and
corporations to invest in higher education, tuition fees – once
introduced – are sky-rocketing, faculties that are unable to attract
enough private sponsors are deemed unnecessary and closed and politics
increasingly focus on supporting a few educational institutions, in the
hope to create “elite-universities” at the cost of all the other
institutions.
 
More
and more people ask themselves: Is the public education system still
serving the interests of the public, or is the focus shifting to
implement education systems that primarily serve private and business
interests?
In
response to these global developments activists – mainly students – in
at least 20 countries on 5 continents are preparing an “International
Day of Action against the Commercialization of Education” on November 5th.
In some countries – such as Israel, Canada, Bangladesh and the
Philippines – national unions are involved, in others protests are
being organized by student representative councils at single
universities or other activist groups involved in social movements.
The
biggest protests are expected in various cities across Canada and
Liberia, as well as in Zagreb (Croatia). Demonstrations, rallies or
teach-ins are also planned in Kentucky (U.S. of A.), Düsseldorf
(Germany), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Skopje ((F.Y.R.O.)Macedonia),
Cairo (Egypt) and London (England). Activists in Ireland, Austria,
the Netherlands, France, Turkey, Greece, Spain and probably Italy as
well will also join the others against the commercialization of
education around the world on that day. International chat-conferences
were organized in advance, where group representatives co-ordinated and
planned the day of action and they all agreed to make use of the slogan
“One World – One Struggle, Education is NOT for Sale” during the
protests themselves. “Greetings of Solidarity” – some “live”, others
recorded – via Skype or phone are being arranged among various groups
around the world for November 5th as well.
 
………………..
 
IN xy THE yx IS PLANNING TO….
Here you can write a few sentences on the local protest you are planning!
 
……………….
 
Last
week alone massive student protests took place in Dhaka (Bangladesh),
various cities of Spain and Italy, as well as smaller protests across
Canada.
The
“International Day of Action against the Commercialization of
Education” will only be the beginning and can be viewed as the first
step towards a proper international movement for free and emancipating
public education accessible to all!
 
 
If you would like more information about the local protests please e-mail XY YOUR@EMAIL.ADD (for local inquiries) or contact united.for.education@gmail.com for general inquiries regarding the international day of action.
 
You will also find more information on the following website: http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org
And
a list summarizing the (student) protests against the commercialization
of education around the world in the year 2008 so far:
http://fading-hope.blog-city.com/students_protest_worldwide_against_commercialisation_bologn.htm