International Student Movement

Update from The Netherlands:
The government is planning to introduce a loan system for bachelor and master students starting next year. This will replace the study financing system which is in place now, that provides students with a (low) study grant. Due to the loan system, many young adults will start their lives out with a giant debt attached to their names. According to 'official' sources the average loan will be approximately 30.000 euro's per student and they will be allowed to pay it off in 35 years.
Our fear is that this 'study mortgage' (and form of double taxation) will endanger access to higher education. Especially for kids from poor families. The government has promised to reinvest their savings from this budget cut in higher education, but has refused to tell us in what way and when. Many students are already choosing for studies that seem to give them a better chance on the labor market, flooding class rooms at law and business faculties, and leaving small language and cultural studies to wither away and die. The educational system should not be subjected to market forces! We need to stop this nonsense before it's too late.

Students, ex-students, school going children and parents will be protesting this loan system on Friday June 20th in Groningen and Tuesday June 24th in Utrecht. Join us if you can!