An on-going series of public manifestations against the state of the Chilean education system came to a head yesterday as hundreds of school teachers took the streets, and at least 20 broke into the Palace of the Moneda, throwing about pamphlets expressing their opposition to the “Ley General de la Educación”. 12 teachers were arrested when they tried to submit a document with their demands to the government at the palace.

The National Organization of teachers has called for a strike which was set to begin yesterday and extend into Thursday, and its spokesperson said that 90% of the schools in the Santiago metropolitan area would stop classes, while the Chilean Minister of Education debunked the claim, saying that 1800 schools in the capital were having classes.

Meanwhile, several schools and universities have been taken over by student protesters, and according to Mexico’s La Jornada, at least two — the University of Santiago and the University of Valdivia — have been “vacated” by the carabineros.

The new Chilean education law at the center of this public backlash is said to perpetuate the breach between rich and poor with regard to education, and is costing president Michelle Bachelet some major popularity points. For some background on the LGE, check out Chilean college student-blogger Ernesto Manriquez’s analysis of the legislation and what it will change.

Via / La Jornada

Image via Arriving at the horizon on Flickr