An extensive early history of the systemic socio-economic segregation of the Chilean educational system at every level imposed by the dictatorship’s utilization of vouchers can be found at: http://oberlinlikesme.tumblr.com/. In its process for privatization Chilean universities became some of the most expensive in the world consuming up to 40% of the budget of a middle income family, creating massive debt, while public spending on tertiary education reached an all time low at .5%. Additionally, many universities in the past 12 years had increased education by 60%. The cost of higher education combined with primary school’s systemic segregation of young people via the voucher system allowed only the privileged to gain a comprehensive education. The Chilean’s student’s battle cry was one for “free, quality, education at all levels and an end to veiled for profit education.”
|
AuthorJulia Pearlstein-Levy |