Huelga general estudiantil (Students' Strike in Spain)
Last Monday, the Philosophy teacher at school, Fulgencio, warned me that we might not have class today since the students were at strike. True enough, none of the students showed up today.
I still had classes yesterday because I taught in 1º and 2º de ESO. Today, none of the kids in my bachillerato class showed up. In my 3ºA class, I had 3 students, and in my 3ºB class I had 4. I asked the students why they weren't on strike and they told me that they didn't receive permission from their parents. (Those under 16 years old need permission to strike.) The 1º and 2º are too young, and none of them are on strike. Most of the 3º were able to go on strike, and all of the 4º and bachillerato students were absent. Though the teachers have been telling me that most of the students are absent not because they're actually protesting but because they want the 3 day vacation (kids will be kids).
The student strike currently happening is nation-wide, and is supposed to last for three days (Tuesday-Thursday). According Fulgencio, the students are protesting the privatization of education in Spain. Under the current conservative and Christian government PP (Partido Popular), education is becoming increasingly privatized (I, and all the auxiliares, work at a public school. I did a bit more research and a flyer I came upon on the bulletin board in one of the classrooms said that the student strike is:
-- Against the privatization of universities, bachillerato, and formación profesional (which is somewhat similar to vocational training) -- these three levels are the levels of education that are not obligatory. The government wants to completely privatize these three levels and thus these levels of higher education will only be available to those who can afford to pay. I think in the last year, 45,000 students dropped out of university because they couldn't afford to pay the tuition.
-- For free, secular and quality public education
-- For more grants and scholarships -- Tuition fees in university increased 66% and the budget for education has been cut. There are less scholarships and grants being offered, and moreover, 4,500 teachers and 840 administrative workers have been fired/let go.
-- Against Francoist counter-reformation -- the current education law is being reformed in a way that is similar to that during the fascist regime of Franco; only the PP voted in favor of the new law, but as they are the majority in government, they did not need any backing from other parties, and the law was passed (Socialists have pledged to overturn the law once they are back in power).
-- For the resignation of Wert -- Wert is the current Minister of Education, Culture and Sports (appointed by the current president), and is the one who pushed for reforms to Spain's current education law
It's been really interesting finding out about the strike, hearing the teachers' opinions, and researching more about it. I think in Granada, the movement is not as big, but in Catalunya especially it is. A few teachers have also asked me about strikes in the Philippines and I was able to share some things about U.P. and the education system back home.
I still had classes yesterday because I taught in 1º and 2º de ESO. Today, none of the kids in my bachillerato class showed up. In my 3ºA class, I had 3 students, and in my 3ºB class I had 4. I asked the students why they weren't on strike and they told me that they didn't receive permission from their parents. (Those under 16 years old need permission to strike.) The 1º and 2º are too young, and none of them are on strike. Most of the 3º were able to go on strike, and all of the 4º and bachillerato students were absent. Though the teachers have been telling me that most of the students are absent not because they're actually protesting but because they want the 3 day vacation (kids will be kids).
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| The 4 students in my 3ºB class |
The student strike currently happening is nation-wide, and is supposed to last for three days (Tuesday-Thursday). According Fulgencio, the students are protesting the privatization of education in Spain. Under the current conservative and Christian government PP (Partido Popular), education is becoming increasingly privatized (I, and all the auxiliares, work at a public school. I did a bit more research and a flyer I came upon on the bulletin board in one of the classrooms said that the student strike is:
-- Against the privatization of universities, bachillerato, and formación profesional (which is somewhat similar to vocational training) -- these three levels are the levels of education that are not obligatory. The government wants to completely privatize these three levels and thus these levels of higher education will only be available to those who can afford to pay. I think in the last year, 45,000 students dropped out of university because they couldn't afford to pay the tuition.
-- For free, secular and quality public education
-- For more grants and scholarships -- Tuition fees in university increased 66% and the budget for education has been cut. There are less scholarships and grants being offered, and moreover, 4,500 teachers and 840 administrative workers have been fired/let go.
-- Against Francoist counter-reformation -- the current education law is being reformed in a way that is similar to that during the fascist regime of Franco; only the PP voted in favor of the new law, but as they are the majority in government, they did not need any backing from other parties, and the law was passed (Socialists have pledged to overturn the law once they are back in power).
-- For the resignation of Wert -- Wert is the current Minister of Education, Culture and Sports (appointed by the current president), and is the one who pushed for reforms to Spain's current education law
It's been really interesting finding out about the strike, hearing the teachers' opinions, and researching more about it. I think in Granada, the movement is not as big, but in Catalunya especially it is. A few teachers have also asked me about strikes in the Philippines and I was able to share some things about U.P. and the education system back home.
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