MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile students and Police clash during National strike

High school students were arrested and journalists injured in central Santiago during Monday's national strike.

In incidents reminiscent of last week's violent disorders, thousands took to the streets nationwide to demand reform of the public education system. President Michelle Bachelet on Monday labeled the strike "unnecessary."

Police arrested more than 160 demonstrators in Santiago, as parts of the capital city's main Alameda thoroughfare were transformed into battlegrounds between police and rock-throwing protestors. And, as occurred last week, there were outcries alleging excessive police force.

"There has been clear provocation on the part of the police," said German Westhoff, student leader at the Instituto Nacional high school, after students were soaked outside their school by police water cannons.

Isolated violent incidents also occurred in other cities around the country. There were intense confrontations in the southern city of Concepción between protestors and police. In La Serena, Region IV, where 26 schools and universities are in "toma" (schools taken over by their students), students disrupted traffic.

Events in Arica, Region I and Valparaíso contrasted sharply with Santiago. Twelve thousand took to the streets in the coastal town of Valparaíso without violent incident.

Still, Santiago's violence was isolated, as most students adhered to last week's calls for students to strike within their schools after peaceful marches had been infiltrated by rogue individuals.

The students' effort to improve Chile's education system began with demands for free transportation and college entrance exams. Then, sparked by perceived government indifference, it grew to include fundamental changes in the country's public education system, which government leaders acknowledged to be "inadequate and class based."

President Bachelet announced Monday that a project to reform the education system would come before Congress no later than Tuesday, today. The law promises to change the Constitution and provide free, quality high school education to all.

"It is unfortunate that we are facing a national strike today, because to me it really seems unnecessary. The students have made their demands felt, and I recognized them as legitimate and fair," said Bachelet Monday.

Reforms intended to improve the quality of Chile's public education system were presented by Bachelet in a surprise speech Thursday night. The president offered to finance the college entrance exams and transportation fees for the poorest 80 percent of Chile's public school students. She also promised to increase the number of free school meals given to students, to provide scholarships for technical students during internships, to increase family subsidies, and to repair dilapidated facilities in the nation's public school system

The President's plan will cost upwards of US$137 million annually, Finance Minister Andres Velasco said. In 2006, the funding for the plan will come from existing government revenues, while thereafter the costs will be paid for, in part, by new revenues coming to the government as a result of windfall copper profits

The students have not revealed to the press their plan for ending the protests. But officials from the Ministry of Education indicated that the students had said that while they were committed to the national strike on Monday, they were looking to end the student protests on Tuesday with a possible return to classes. This would mean an end to all "tomas" and student strikes.

Still, with such wide-spread national support the students are in a strong bargaining position.

High school students are now supported by university student groups, parents, teachers, and many of the country's more politically oriented groups, including political parties and labor unions A representative of the Argentine student federation also brought a letter to Santiago, pledging the support of students across the border.

By Cristina Dunn The Santiago Times - News about Chile