"International Student Movement"

Uniting for "Global Weeks of Action for Education"
this November!

Pupils, students, teachers, parents and workers worldwide are struggling against the increasing commercialization of education and for free emancipatory education for all. Everywhere similar symptoms of the currently dominating economic system - such as the introduction (and increase) of tuition fees, an increasing de-democratization and opening up of institutions for private economic actors - can be observed within the education system. This month (September) alone saw partly massive resistance linked to our struggle in Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Kenya, on the Philippines, in Spain, the UK, Ukraine and U.S. of A.
The economic system unleashes its forces globally, so it is about time to connect and unite in our struggle globally as well. This will also strengthen all of us on the local level.

After several global chat meetings on the ISM platform activists in various regions of the world decided to declare November 07 - 20^th Global Weeks of Action for Education (GWA). Furthermore November 17^th shall mark a peak of the GWA with synchronized actions worldwide.

The framework of the GWA consists of three elements. Firstly the basis is described by the "international joint statement". In addition for everyone to easily communicate that their activities are linked to the GWA to people on the local and global level activists agreed on common suggestions for slogans (such as: "education is not for $A£€; one world - one struggle", "free education for emancipation; one world - one struggle" and "for the social revolution; one world - one struggle") as well as symbols (the three you find on this page). As you can see, the essential part is "one world - one struggle".

To bring the actions everywhere linked to the GWA closer together and improve the flow of information, some ideas were collected by participants of previous chat meetings. For example groups worldwide could set up "livestreams" (which will be collected on one page); activists could arrange "live" broadcasts of protests or include a video chat with a fellow activist elsewhere during a rally or workshop; everyone can consider to record a short video explaining ones local/regional situation and deliver greetings to fellow activists worldwide, which can then be shown on November 17th everywhere; all should feel encouraged to take many pictures and videos of any activities linked to the GWA displaying the common slogans and/or symbols (it can be all put together in a presentation afterwards).

To prepare things for the GWA activists began to discuss ideas for a "social media newsroom", with which we will  attempt to bring together all the information related to the GWA activities worldwide (in real time). All who want these efforts are invited to subscribe to the ISM techies mailing list (to be found on the ISM website).

During global chat meetings in the coming weeks activists will continue discussions on how to synchronize activities on November 17th. They are announced on the ISM (global) mailing list and the website. All identifying with the struggle are invited to participate! Communication and the flow of information on the global level is vital!
Also if you don't organize any activities linked to the GWA, do make use of the ISM communication infrastructure to inform people worldwide about your local/regional situation and protests, for example by sending reports to the ISM (global) mailing list.

Those who want to help can, for example, offer to do translations of the joint statement and/or the announcement for the GWA, create a mobilization video, design suggestions for posters and/or help to inform groups and activists around the world about the GWA. Of course it is important that as many of you as possible also participate in the chat meetings and announce your activities linked to the GWA in advance, so everything can be put on the website and inspire all of us everywhere!

Among others groups in Canada, across Germany as well as the U.S. of A., in Indonesia, Liberia and the Philippines confirmed to arrange activities such as strikes and rallies linked to the GWA so far. Others, for example, in Bangladesh, Chile, Egypt, Finnland, France, Greece, Italy, Pakistan and many other regions are still discussing it.

For you to get involved and stay in touch with the coordination efforts on the global level, subscribe to the ISM (global) mailing list. To announce activities linked to the GWA and to clarify questions, you can participate in the next global chat meeting. Send a message to the mailing list or address it to !

Latest details on the GWA are available on www.ism-global.net

★ one world - one struggle ★

Students Resisting State Abandonment of Public Education
in Dhaka

The government of Bangladesh introduced a new funding rule (article 27(4)) which forces Jagannath University (JnU) to generate its own funds by 2012. In other words, this "public" institution will not be financed nor be accessible by the general public anymore.
Consequently there are two potential sources for funds to be explored by the university: fees and private investors. Students now expect that semester fees will increase by 600% (previously: 3,500 BDT = 34€ = 47US$ - soon: 20,000 BDT = 195€ = 266US$).

At this stage only JnU is directly affected - it seems like an experiment. If this transformation succeeds, then at least two other universities are to follow by 2017.

The public was informed about these changes through a newspaper report on Sept. 25. As a direct reaction thousands of students began to block roads around campus and the High Court, demanding that the new rule be scrapped again. Police were called in and charged protesters with batons to disperse the crowd. Demands of the students also include the reinstatement of university dormitories, the setting up of a library, and the improvement of transport facilities as well as the closure of a branch of Bangladesh Bank on campus.

On Sunday itself and in the following days dozens of activists were violently arrested, many were injured. In reaction about 60 cars were smashed, barricades built and tyres burnt near campus. On Tuesday (Sept. 27) students announced to go on strike, boycotting classes and exams. The institution will now remain closed at least until Oct. 6.

This development is a symptom of the currently dominating economic system and part of the commercialisation process within education. According to latest reports however, the government stated they would reconsider their decision due to the protests. This is the future for all of us around the world - unless we finally connect and fight back together!

More details, pictures and videos on www.ism-global.net

Have a look at http://KaiBurghardt.de/data/study/ism/recedu-1105/recedu-1105.pdf .
An extra box for the news bulletin won't fit, and i also think that such a huge box doesn't look pretty.
Uhm, i've corrected some mistakes and i feel obliged to mention that the many parenthesized words aren't nice. Did you guessed that i delete'em by my own, don't you?
Did you know that i'm transferring all formattings by manual? Maybe we could change to openofficetext? Scribus natively supports importing odt's.
--
wkr Kays