November 14: Global Education Strike

Reports Worldwide:
Global Education Strike

November 14th 2012

In the struggle against the increasing commercialisation of education and for free emancipatory education people around the world coordinated the Global Education Strike (GES). It was marked by the Global Day of Action to RECLAIM EDUCATION -- Direct Democracy NOW! on October 18th as well as the GES itself from November 14th until the 22nd.
Basis of which was this call to action as well as this international joint statement.

overview of all activities related to the GES: ism-global.net/GES_activities

For comments or any missing reports please contact ism_admin[at]lists.riseup.net.

Reports for GES related activities on November 14th:

  • Belgrade: rally
  • Bremen: school strike + rallies
  • Brussels: picket line + rally
  • California: University of California Week of Action: Solidarity with the GES!
  • France: strikes and demonstrations in various cities
  • Hannover: rave against fees
  • Hildesheim: days of action: 'education is a human right' (Nov.12-23)
  • Marburg: general assembly + spontaneous rally
  • Milan: rally against cuts in education
  • Oldenburg: rally against tuition fees
  • Quebec: strikes at various colleges and universities

Belgrade: rally

Rally in Belgrage

Various groups called for a rally in Belgrade.

Unfortunately no report on this was shared on the global ISM mailing list.

event page: facebook.com

Bremen: School Strike & Rallies

School Strike & Rallies in Bremen

Pupils at various schools across Bremen (Germany) went on strike, while more than 1,000 people joined the rally through the city centre; junctions were blocked. A few hundred pupils from different schools gathered at different points in the city. At some point those decentralised rallies united. At the same time this day marked the beginning of a week of action.

With the protests pupils question the functions of schools as well as the education system as a whole within capitalism. Among others they fundamentally question the grading system, the pressure to compete/succeed, and selection processes in schools.

website: schulstreik-bremen.de

Brussels: picket line & rally

Picket line and Rally in Brussels

In the early hours the student union Etudiants Fgtb Sections Bruxelloises set up a picket line at the front gate of the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Later during the day around 200 people gathered for a rally in the city centre.

details on the situation at ULB: efgtb-bxl.be (in French)

call to join the Global Education Strike on November 14: efgtb-bxl.be (in French)

University of California Week of Action: Solidarity with GES

Week of Action in Solidarity with the GES at the University of California

A coalition called Students Against Student Suffering (S.A.S.S.) initiated a 'University of California Week of Action: Solidarity with Global Strike!'. Among others it kicked off with a teach-in at the University of California in Santa Barbara.

France: strikes and demonstrations in various cities

  Strikes and Demonstrations
in
Cities across France

The following short report was sent to the global ISM mailing list:

Hello everyone, I'm Alex, a student in France, and have participated in the organization of this day of action in France for education.

Regarding the strike, only 1500/2000 students took part, which is little.
Assemblies took place in several cities.

Regarding the manifestantations, very many young people have participated (Between 4000 and 6000 students).

This is a good start, but we can do better.

#1World1Struggle
event page: facebook.com

Hannover: Rave against Fees

Rave against Fees in Hannover

Students gathered in front of the main university building for a rave against tuition fees. This was part of a whole week of action in connection with the GES and was used to also inform about further activities durng the week.
Unfortunately no report on how the rave went was sent in.

During the day also activities in support of a Zivilklausel ('civil clause') took place. With the Zivilklausel the university would assure not to do any research that can be used for military purposes. In the evening a movie on the protests against tuition fees in Germany in 2006/07 was shown.

website: geshannover.blogsport.de
on facebook: facebook.com/GESinHannover + event page

Days of Action kick off in

Days of Action kick off in Hildesheim

From Nov.12-23 the general students' committee in Hildesheim arranged days of action under the banner of 'education is a human right - abolish tution fees!'. The days were mostly filled with workshops on many different interesting topics as well as concerts in the evening.

They were directly linked to the Global Education Strike as well as a campaign called 'Gesellschaft macht Identität' (society makes identity).

further details (in German): astahi.de

Marburg: general assembly & rally

General Assembly followed by
Spontaneous Rally in
Marburg

As sent to the global ISM mailing list:

  • Info assembly at the faculty of biology attended by around 80 students and some profs went pretty well
  • General assembly at the faculty of social sciences with up to 300 students went well. It was used to inform everyone about the situation at the faculty, as well as the university and how the precarious situation is linked to the struggle on the global level. After that the GES was introduce. It was attempted to have a chat on skype with a fellow activist in Belgrade, but unfortunately we had technical difficulties. Ideas of future activities were collected and it was agreed to meet again the next day in an open assembly and decide on the next steps.
  • Following the general assembly the crowd took to the streets (it was past 10pm) and marched through the city centre shouting slogans such as 'No Border, No Nation - Free Education!' and 'Education for All, and for Free!'.

more details (in German): freedumm.net

Milan: Rally against Cuts in Education

Demonstration in Milan


November 14th was marked with demonstrations against cuts in education across Italy, but only groups in Milan put their rally also in the context of the Global Education Strike. In the end thousands of students gathered in the city centre on that day.

At various points protesters also clashed with riot police.

event page: facebook.com

Oldenburg: rally against tuition fees

Demonstration for Free Education in Oldenburg

More than 2,500 students and parents rallied in Oldenburg for the immediate abolishment of tuition fees. Oldenburg is a city in the federal state of Lower-Saxony - one of two states (out of 16) still generally charging tuition fees in Germany. Many other federal states were forced to abolish fees again due to massive protests in the recent past, e.g. in North-Rhine Westphalia.
Adding all fees together students in Lower-Saxony are still charged €725 per semester.

sources (in German): neue-mitmach-zeitung.de


'no studies for the national state and capital - organising self-determined learning and living!'

 

Quebec: strikes at various colleges and universities

Strikes at Colleges and Universities kick off
in
Québec

Students at various faculties across Québec voted to go on strike either during the complete Global Education Strike, or just for a (few) day(s). Highlight was November 22, which was marked with a huge demonstration in Montréal and with more than 60,000 students on strike across the province.

Here is an overview of all the associations that voted to go on strike:

Mandats de grève adoptés dans le cadre de la semaine du 14 au 22 novembre:

CÉGEPs :
  • Cégep de Saint-Laurent (AECSL) : en grève du 20 au 22 novembre 3 700 membres
  • Cégep du Vieux-Montréal (AGECVM) : engrève du 19 au 22 novembre 7 000 membres
  • Centre collégial Mont-Laurier : en grève le 22 novembre 600 membres
  • Cégep de Matane (AECEM) : en grève le 22 novembre 600 membres
  • Collège Lionel-Groulx (AGEECLG) : en grève le 22 novembre 6 000 membres
  • Cégep Marie-Victorin (SECMV) : en grève le 21 et le 22 novembre 2 500
  • Vanier College  (VCSA) : en grève le 22 novembre 6 500 membres

Université du Québec à Montréal :

  • AFESH : en grève du 19 au 22 avec un plancher de 20 000 4 500 membres
  • AESS : en grève le 22 novembre 3 300 membres
  • AFELC : en grève le 22 novembre 3720 membres
  • AFÉA : en grève du 19 au 22  4035 membre
  • ADEESE : en grève le 22 novembre 5000
  • AEMSP : en grève du 14 au 22 novembre 600 membres
  • AECSSP : en grève le 22 novembre 200
  • ABIECEP : en grève du 19 au 22 novembre 500 membres 

Université de Montréal :

  • Histoire de l’Art UdeM : journée de grève le 22 novembre 150 membres
  • AECSAUM : deux journées entre le 14 au 21 novembre (à déterminer par l’exécutif d’ici le 5 novembre) 177 membres
  • Anthropologie-UdeM (AEAUM) : en grève le 14 et le 22 novembre 589 membres
  • AEDLLM (littérature et langue moderne) : le 22 et une journée flottante 200 membres
  • Cinéma : en grève le 14 et le 22 novembre 600 membres
  • Sociologie : en grève du 14 au 22 novembre 200 membres
  • Sociologie cycles supérieurs :  en grève du 14 au 22 novembre 100 membres
  • Histoire : en grève le 22 novembre 400 membres
  • Histoire cycle supérieur : en grève le 22 novembre 158 membres
  • asso-CÉTASA : en grève le 22 novembre 152 membres
  • Science politique et études internationales : en grève le 22 novembre 838 membres
  • Linguistique : en grève le 22 novembre 200 membres
  • Service social : en grève le 14 et du 19 au 22 638 membres
  • Sciences politique et philosophie :  en grève le 22 novembre 50 membres
  • Musique : en grève le 22 novembre 700 membres
  • Philosophie : en grève le 22 novembre 280 membres 

Université Laval:

  • AGEEPP : en grève du 19 au 22 novembre avec un plancher de 10 000 244 membres
  • Anthropologie : en grève le 22 novembre 234 membres
  • Association étudiante de théâtre (AGÉÉTUL) : en grève le 22 novembre 100 membres
  • Arts Visuels (RÉÉAV) : en grève du 19 au 22 novembre 125 membres
  • Sociologie : en grève le 22 novembre 145 membres 

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi:

  • Anthropologie et sociologie : en grève du 14 au 22
  • Histoire : en grève du 14 au 22
  • Sciences politiques : en grève du 14 au 22
  • Intervention plein air : en grève du 14 au 22
  • Art : en grève le 21-22

Université de Sherbrooke:

  • AGEFLESH (lettres et sciences humaines) : en grève le 22 novembre 2075 membres
  • AÉUCS (Association des étudiant(e)s du centre Urbanisation, culture et société de l’INRS) 100 membres

Prises de position à venir :

CÉGEPs :

  • Cégep Édouard-Montpetit : Ag le 22 au matin (+-6000)

source: bloquonslahausse.com