Students in Chile Demand Better Education

Chairs blocking the doors of public schools throughout Chile have come down in most places.  They became a common site during the three-week strike staged by high school students in Chile demanding immediate educational reform.

Student protests dominated headlines in Chile, as well as the national attention.  Largely due to the dynamic and efficient organization on the part of the student movement, students displayed a talent in organization, communication discipline and social responsibility in their “tomas”.

A “toma” is an occupation of the school. The number of schools in toma rose to a peak two weeks ago.  The toma strategy was developed as a way to voice demands without the violence associated with marching in the streets.

An organized structure to administer activities and conduct within the student body allowed the tomas to be an effective tool in the schools’ dissent.  One of these schools that participated is the Liceo Experimental de Manuel Salas (LMS), located in the capital of Santiago, and was represented by student body president, Ariel De La Maza, and spokesman Simon Moreno.  LMS started their toma on May 24, 2006 in LMS

“Education (in Chile) is geared towards the economy, not towards the education,” De La Maza said. 

According to De La Maza and Moreno, education in Chile should integrate more topics, from civic government, sexual education to art, rather than focus solely on preparing students for the college entrance exam, know as the PSU, which emphasizes on Math and Spanish.

De La Maza also voiced their concerns regarding how education is governed.

“The problem of the law is one of its origin, those making the laws are those who know about economics, not about education.” De La Maza stated.