"International Student Movement"

There are lots of protests in general taking place in Chile. Here some examples to present the context:

• Hunger Strike by Mapuches in Jail: 82 days
• Worker's Strike in the mine "El Teniente", for better salaries (10,000 workers)
• HidroAysen protests, an Hidroelectric Plant Project in the South of Chile, with a lots of people in the streets (15,000 normally)
• Students Strike: for Education in general, aiming at the financial system and credit logic. (25,000 people at last manifestation)
• Health Precarization: Some Unions mobilized (for example CGT), but not much...

Since the "return of democracy", the Chilean Education System has been based on a law (LOCE), which was created by Pinochet's economists, the "Chicago Boys". Since then education has been totally polarised between public and private education. Therefore there is education for the rich people on one hand and different education for the poor on the other.

In 2006, a great student movement ("La Revolución Píngüina"), put an end to this law. But the political coalition called "La Concertación" (consisting of political parties ranging from the "Communist Party" to the "Christian Democratic Party"), educational corporations and right-wing parties created a new Law (LGE), that was mostly the same thing as the old one. This was a huge set-back for the student movement. Since then the political parties have been pushing back any new movement, to validate their new law.

Right now, in the year 2011, most university students (2006 was a mostly public school movement) have been trying to bring back a new movement, but with the direction of the JJCC ("Juventudes Comunistas", Communist Youth) that are part of "La Concentración". Therefore these protests are more to be understood as a reaction to the ruling right-wing goverment (first one since the military coup) which they have started.

The Federation of University Students of Chile (CONFECH) consists of all the student federations at each university put together (FECH, FEUSACH, etc...). There is a big discussion going on about the real representation this confederation has, because their formal demands ("petitorio") are very different and not very clear, in comparison with the more local discussions and demands (in general, FREE EDUCATION is the demand at the base assemblies, meanwhile lower cost (without explaining how much) is the demand of the CONFECH). That's how it is right now. And the movement is being slowed down. The student leaders now have a "table of discussion" with the goverment, same as they had in 2006 (CAP). School students are also trying to bring together their movements, but they were even attacked by the JJCC in a public act, which was held by the FECH (Federación de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Chile).

Looking at the current situation and the whole context, there are many possible outcomes. The movement can overcome their leaders, and try to stand with their real demands, or, it could be the end of the movement, with the discussion of more patch solutions, like more scholarships and reducing the credit tax (instead of fighting the logic of the destructive credit system within education, beacause it's a right, not a privilege).
There are also other problems. For example private universities are beginning to get organized (80% of university studies are held in private universities in Chile), and there are two totally different movements that are growing. One movement is asking for more rights (like the right to organize in private universities and professional institutions), and another one, that is demanding that private education has the same right to "compete in the market of education", and therefore should also receive funding by the state.

And again, the JJCC and FECH have a lot of problems with the first group of students, because they are being discriminated (they say they can't be part of the confederation (CONFECH), because they are private establishments), and this has been something that also hasen't allowed the movement to move forward.

Hopefully, the movement will start to grow, base assemblies are planing to come together with other social sectors, like worker unions, social organization, and private educational organizations, to make a great popular movement for education.

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