The Protests Continue in Chile

Chilean Students on Strike for Free Education
Prensa Latina
March 28, 2012
Citation: http://bit.ly/Hptptm

Santiago de Chile, Mar 28 (Prensa Latina) The Confederation of Students of Chile (CONFECH) rejected the conclusions of a government advisory panel, which rejected the establishment of free education, considering it inefficient and inequitable.

Today is Day of the Young Combatant. There are now numerous articles and news outlets that are covering the Chilean student protests. However, as the above video states, Al-Jazerra was apparently the only news outlet covering this story up until late. Prensa Latina states that it is the neoliberal (think free trade, open markets) ideology that is "inefficient" and "inequitable" to provide free education for students. The students are protesting the market system of education in their country because, as the article states the students believe education is a right, just as health, and thus structural changes must be implemented now because this current model promotes, or enhances rather, as the article puts it, concepts of individualism, selfishness and  exclusion. Students are undeterred by time, by police violence and have even resorted to hunger strikes. Please refer to this article by the Nation, which not only has another video that will raise your consciousness regarding this issue, but comments on some of the economic facts and figures that have led to the protests. Additionally, and most importantly, there was a huge protest this morning. The Santiago Times has been continuing to cover the story, and posted on March 18th, an article entitled "First march of the school year incites violence in Santiago" (see link) It is also worthwhile read, particularly because it is written in Chile by Chileans. 

Blocking streets with fires and recently displaced
street signs is common form in Chile's protests. Protests
littered Santiago all day Thursday in what was supposed
to be the first day of authorized marches in 2012.
(Photo by Jason Suder/The Santiago Times)

I am wholeheartedly impressed with the effort by Chilean student's to lower the cost of high education in their country and to ultimately reform the mentality of lawmakers and institutions. Please refer to the above video, though posted 2 months ago, it will provide you with a broader prospective of the developments and progression of this important protest against President Pinera's education law. The video raises some important questions regarding interconnectedness. The interesting thing is that normally in our blog we discuss North-South transfer. In this case, the commentators in the video discuss whether what is happening in Chile may not happen in the United States next, and this protest is an internal debate which has been brought on by globalization but requires a national solution. The Chilean students are not giving up, and that is what I admire most about their efforts. Also the fact that they are organized, they have a leader and they are mobilized in a united effort with an explicit purpose. They are not relying on outside sources, other nations that is, to rescue them -- they want change to come from within, from their own government. I say, Bravo. 

Jennifer blogged about this same story over a month ago in her post, Hidden Strife within Chile's Education System. In that post Jennifer takes a close look at the history of educational development in Chile and what factors, that is, colonialism (ex. European models of education) have led to the protests we are seeing today. Evan highlights an important mismatch regarding BBC's coverage when they call the protests "shocking". I say mismatch because, well, it does not match our thinking on this blog. As the protests continue we hope to get you updated with the developments and eventually hope that we can provide news of reform of an addendum to current Chilean legislation. 

Masked demonstrators shout slogans at riot police during
a demonstration marking "Day of the Young Combatant," in Santiago,
Thursday March 29, 2012. The Day of the Young Combatant
commemorates the killing of two young brothers by police in a 1985
protest during the 1973-90 dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.
((AP Photo/Roberto Candia))

On a day that is so significant to Chileans, and to those, like us Sigue bloggers, who genuinely care about education reform in Latin America, it is quite special to see such strong will, motivation and dedication to the cause. My comments on today's events, and on this ever-evolving story is short and sweet: SIGUE ADELANTE! 

The Progress of Education in Latin America

Photograph: Manu Dias/AGECOM Bahia

Moving Latin American Education Forward

Latin Business Chronicle

February 15, 2012

By Gabriel Sanchez Zinny
Citation: http://tinyurl.com/7jahvuo

In the last few decades, Latin America has fared poorly in various international educationtesting assessments. The most well-known, the Program for International Student Assessment, administered by the OECD most recently in 2009, only included nine countries in the region, but the results were not encouraging, as these nine participants finished somewhere between 44th and 63rd place, out of 65 countries tested. Chile placed at the top of the region, with Uruguay close behind, but both countries still ranked well below average. However, there are encouraging signs of education reform in Latin America, and they provide a foundation for improving education throughout the region—a daunting but feasible and necessary task.

Article clipped; see link above for full version

Despite the low grades that Latin America has received on international education testing assessments, there has been a surge in funding for education throughout the region. In the past several years, Latin America nations have, individually, spent about $200 billion per year on education and as a region has received more than $5 billion from multi-lateral organizations. Their approach to education has also recently changed. Once focused on school attendance and retainment of students, ministries of education are now concentrating on investing in the quality of schools. Primarily they are beginning to follow the models of their fellow global nations like Singapore, Finland, and South Korea. Studies in these countries have shown that teachers are the essential school based factor that influences achievement rates of students.

As a result of the large amount of funds required to propel these ventures, Latin America have seen a new set of investors join the education scene. Business companies and other organization have stepped up in order to address these educational woes, providing support when public sectors do not have the resources or capital. Organizations like Argentina's EducAr 2050, Mexicanos Primeo, and Brazil's Todos Pela Educacao, are promoting the value of stronger curricula and effective teachers by integrating improved management skills and introducing technology into the classroom. It is the hope of these regional programs and initiatives to not only provide better support to the education system, but to also improve the learning conditions and quality of education for future generations.

When I initially read this article I was skeptical of Latin America's tactics to solve their problems with the quality of education in their respective countries. Immediately their intentions were good, to invest large sums of money in their education system. However their quick reactions only fulfilled their short term goals. When Latin American countries' focus shifted from short term to long term, they refined their approach and found global models that produced the results that they desired. Even then I was wary of their choice to have outside education systems be the model of achievement for their own. The last time I read an article about Latin America modeling other more "developed" nations' education systems, it ended in protesting on the streets in Chile (see my post Hidden Strife within Chile's Education System). However I was pleasantly surprised that, unlike the case of Chile, less government involvement and more private initiative seem to not only support the financial aspects of education reform, but also the personal side of education.

For me this article touched upon many of the same issues and concerns seen in Jaime's post The Case for Local Business Support for Education in Nicaragua. These companies took an interest in promoting education reform not just because it would improve the achievement of students, but that improving the quality of education now could lead to many other long lasting results. The benefits that society could reap from these investments could transcend present time and support the success of future generations. While this article focused more on national organizations rather than local ones, I feel that the concepts are very much similar. This sense of nationalism and pride propelled these organizations to take a calculated risk and invest in the future of their country's education system in hopes that the results generated would indeed produce an overall benefit to society and not just improve one set of achievement statistics.

The Global South Unites Through Lending

China lends more than $75bn to Latin America
Financial Times
February 15, 2012
By John Paul Rathbone
Citation: http://on.ft.com/yKyIpQ

Chinese state banks have lent more than $75bn to Latin America since 2005, and in 2010 gave more than the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and US Ex-Im Bank combined, according to a report which highlights China’s growing financial heft in the region.

“On the positive side, it is clear that China is a new and growing source of finance in Latin America,” notes the independent academic report, New Banks in Town: Chinese finance in Latin America.

“That said, and contrary to much commentary on the subject, by and large Latin American nations have to pay a higher premium for loans from China.”

China has overtaken the US to become Brazil and Chile’s largest trade partner. Many US policymakers fear that Beijing is using cheap rate loans to “buy” influence among left-leaning Latin American governments that are hostile to western interests, and that Beijing uses financing to secure long term commodity supplies.

Read more...


Latin America has borrowed more than $75bn from China since 2005. Since then China has transformed into Brazil and Chile’s leading trading partner, beating out the United States. Through financing China has been able to secure long term supplies of commodities. Many U.S. policy makers are voicing concern that the attractive loan rates are a tool to “buy” influence among left-leaning governments in Latin America. Chinese loans to Latin America now account for more than half of Beijing’s international lending. China’s growing presence has not gone unnoticed in the region.

This situation supports Jeannie’s previous post about global interconnectedness: “Venezuelan and Iranian Involvement in Nicaragua: Benevolence or Strategy?” Latin America is now financially tied to China and the implications of such ties are not yet clear.  This article also illustrates the notion within World Systems Theory that international power relations are constantly changing. Even though the money from China is not coming in the form of aid or “assistance”, it still has potential to create a certain level of dependency, especially considering the fact China focus is on commodities in Latin American markets, which critics say, will increase “dependency” exploitation. The article even points out that left-wing development economists denounced this type of dependency four decades ago.  That is not to say the past cannot repeat itself.  Left-leaning governments tired of Western ways may overlook such factors and continue relations with the Chinese in their quest for modernization and development. 

The United States is no longer ranked number one in regard to trade with countries like Brazil and Chile, but that is not their only concern.  Some believe China’s growing presence in the region is driven by an ideological desire to boost South-South ties according to the article. Besides the economic benefits tied to commodities and the influential power of money, it appears China’s strategy may consist of spreading and supporting ideologies of the Global South.  Venezuela and Iran are now supporting Nicaragua and isn’t Iran friends with China? The Global South seems to be uniting in the United State’s backyard. What will that mean for future the future of development and education in Latin America?

Hidden Strife within Chile's Education System

Photograph: Juan Carlos Cardenas/EPA/Landov

Chile student protests point to deep discontent

BBC News, Santiago

August 11, 2011

By Gideon Long

Citation: http://tinyurl.com/3udmf46

Chile is usually regarded as one of the most orderly and stable countries in South America, so the images that have come out of the capital, Santiago, in recent days have been especially shocking.

Thousands of high school and university students have marched through the capital's streets, as well as those of other major cities, demanding a radical overhaul of the education system.

Invariably the demonstrations have ended in violent clashes between masked youths and police officers armed with tear gas and water cannon.

The scenes have been reminiscent of the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s, when Chileans clashed with the forces of General Augusto Pinochet.

Article clipped; see link for full version.

On several occasions in August of 2011, thousands of Chilean students and citizens took to the streets to protest the nation's current education system. For such a "stable" Latin America country, the protests turned quickly violent as Chileans and police clashed ultimately ending in hundreds of arrests and injuries to citizens, policemen, and property. The backlash that the Chilean education system finally received has been masked by its relatively high educational standards in comparison to its Latin American neighbors. However, citizens believe that there are deeper inequalities being perpetuated by the education system. A large blame for these inequalities is placed on the structure of schools. The majority of schools in Chile are privately run, either tuition or voucher based, a much smaller percent are state-run institutions. The unavailability of financial resources amongst Chile's poor and lack of public education has, in the eyes of Chileans, given an unfair advantage to those wealthier citizens. Their call for an end to for profit education has been met by the Chilean government with skepticism and insistence that this demand cannot be met. With the government’s current plan to re-organize and their approval rate rapidly declining, they will have to confront this issue of “educational apartheid.”

Taking a closer look at this issue in Chile, one can see how the social oppressions occurring throughout society have transcended into a contentious problem. From a Neo-Marxist perspective, despite the economic growth that Chile has experienced in the last 10 years, Chilean citizens feel that that the education system has either stagnated or deteriorated during that same time span. When one considers that the increase in revenue could have been put to use to further improve the nation and address the social concerns of its public. Some analysts figure that Chile's embrace of a radical free market has caused this led to a general sense of unease despite the revitalizing affect that it has had on the economy. This makes one questions whether economic success and wealth can in reality lead to development in the face of such social oppressions.

Another point to be learned from this case study is the government's tactic to resolve this issue. Ministry leaders claim that the education system is indeed flawed, but insists that it is not a failure. They look to reorganize the system after successful European models that do have a fair distribution of private and publicly funded schools. However, the nations that they are looking towards as examples, the Netherlands and Belgium, do not have the underlying socio-economic inequalities that are present in Chilean society. My question to the Chilean government would be how do you plan on addressing the central issue, the socio-economic gap, if the model you are recreating does not have and did not address such an issue? Especially since your attempt to model other country's economies has not helped your overall nation's situation. Clearly this social unrest is speaking to larger volumes of underlying issues present in society and something is going to eventually give.