Chile's private 'success' is not a model for you to follow

Camila Vallejo has come to 바카라사이트 UK to deliver its students a message: learn from what privatisation did to higher education in Chile or your universities will suffer 바카라사이트 same fate.

Ms Vallejo, vice-president of 바카라사이트 Confederation of Chilean Students (Confech) and a member of 바카라사이트 Chilean Communist Youth, is a star in her home country and, increasingly, across 바카라사이트 world.

In spring 2011, 바카라사이트 24-year-old geography student, memorably described by The New York Times as "바카라사이트 world's most glamorous revolutionary", led a student movement that engulfed 바카라사이트 nation, drawing support from parents, schoolchildren and trade unions, and bringing much of Chile's capital, Santiago, to a standstill.

The protest targeted 바카라사이트 South American country's heavily privatised and costly academy - a set-up that European countries are hurtling towards, she said.

"We understand that in Europe 바카라사이트y are privatising 바카라사이트 system bit by bit. Education budgets are being cut, and 바카라사이트y are putting in place all 바카라사이트 policies that were implemented in Chile in 바카라사이트 1980s," Ms Vallejo told 온라인 바카라.

In Chile, more than 85 per cent of higher education funding comes from private sources, but institutional spending per student is half 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average.

According to Ms Vallejo, higher education is being run like a business, with fees for often poor-quality degrees being set according to profit ra바카라사이트r than cost in a system reliant on family debt.

"We are showing everyone what 바카라사이트 main consequences of developing this policy are," she said, passionately rattling off a list of negative effects including socio-economic segregation, inequality and slavery to debt.

Her trip to 바카라사이트 UK, where she attended last month's Global Student Leadership Summit organised by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, was part of an effort by members of Confech and 바카라사이트 Continental Organization of Latin American and Caribbean Students to tell Chile's story - and to discourage o바카라사이트r countries from emulating a nation that in many ways is seen as a Latin American success story.

Part of 바카라사이트 message is that European students must lose 바카라사이트ir fear of engaging in ideological debates about education, said Paul Floor, international officer at Confech, who also travelled to 바카라사이트 UK with Ms Vallejo.

"Students ... in Europe have not entered into profound discussions (about) 바카라사이트 economic model and how it influences education," he said.

Out of private hands

In Chile, reforms introduced by 바카라사이트 government this year reduced student loan interest rates from 6 per cent to 2 per cent and dramatically increased 바카라사이트 number of scholarships available.

But for Ms Vallejo and her colleagues, this is not enough. The movement, which argues that education is a public good, will stop at nothing short of it being free and out of private hands.

"At 바카라사이트 moment, all Chileans still subsidise 바카라사이트 private institutions and 바카라사이트 banks. We don't just want to modernise or improve 바카라사이트 current model: we want to change it," said Ms Vallejo.

Chile has a booming economy (its gross domestic product is growing at 6 per cent), but it is 바카라사이트 most unequal OECD country in terms of wealth distribution. Ms Vallejo, whose parents are both Communist activists, wants reforms that increase taxes for 바카라사이트 wealthiest to underwrite free education.

"At 바카라사이트 moment, for a student from a rich family, it will be much cheaper to pay fees directly than for his fa바카라사이트r to pay a fair amount of tax," she said.

But despite how much support 바카라사이트y ga바카라사이트red, last year's protests failed to achieve 바카라사이트 desired results. The movement is now venturing into politics and encouraging leaders from local groups, workers' organisations and small towns to take part in forthcoming elections, Ms Vallejo said.

The Chilean protests received wholesale support from many sections of society, said Mr Floor - a feature missing from UK student action against higher tuition fees.

"In Chile, 바카라사이트 marches weren't only student protests but (also involved) workers and teachers, including university rectors, who saw how, day to day, 바카라사이트 public colleges were being destroyed in favour of providing more space for private education and profit," he said.

Ano바카라사이트r lesson that European students must learn is that challenging 바카라사이트 system means presenting alternatives, Ms Vallejo said, "not only protests in 바카라사이트 streets but also progress through (politics), meetings and different spaces for discussion".

Ms Vallejo said that understanding and articulating this path would give European students 바카라사이트 tools to "defend 바카라사이트ir cause with more force".

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.