Original article: “La educación se defiende en las calles”: Confech convoca paralización nacional contra Escuelas Protegidas, megarreforma y recortes de Kast

Students Rally Across Chile: Confech Calls for National Strike Against Protected Schools and Budget Cuts

«Education is defended in the streets«, declared the Confech while announcing a national strike scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, in opposition to the measures implemented by the government of José Antonio Kast in this sector.

In a statement shared on social media, they indicated that the strike will be held in rejection of the bill titled «Protected Schools», which proposes the review of backpacks, bags, and personal belongings at the entrances of educational facilities, the 3% budget cut impacting the Ministry of Education (Mineduc), and the massive economic and tax reform currently being processed in Congress, pushed by the far-right president.

«We say NO to Protected Schools, NO to the mega reform, and NO to the budget cuts that continue to undermine our educational communities,» asserted the group representing various university student federations.

«We call on universities to join this mobilization, which will take place next Wednesday, June 3, throughout Chile, advocating for education that serves the country and the great majorities,» they continued.

As such, they extended a call to all higher education institutions to participate in this mobilization across the country, fighting for «an education that serves the nation and the majority of citizens.»

«We urge federations and student organizations to organize their bases, initiate information campaigns, outreach, agitation, and propaganda, and to rally support for the national strike and mobilization,» they stated.

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Confech emphasized that the mobilization will occur across «all of Chile, for an education that serves the country and the great majorities.»

The strike will take place just 48 hours after the presidential address that José Antonio Kast will deliver on June 1 before the National Congress, marking the first since he took office on March 11.

Since then, the far-right leader’s administration has faced severe criticism for the failure to fulfill electoral promises—particularly concerning security—and for applying budget cuts to ministries and social programs, discussing pardons for those guilty of crimes against humanity as well as policemen and military personnel convicted of human rights violations during the social unrest, alongside a crisis within his administration that led to recent cabinet changes.

It’s worth noting that in mid-May, the Confech and secondary student movements led a mobilization through the streets of Santiago to «defend a dignified education serving the majority.»

During the protest, which began at the former National Congress and moved to Alameda, participants were suppressed by police forces.