Chile president sends education reform to Congress
Posted on Monday, 05.19.14
Chile president sends education reform to Congress
By LUIS ANDRES HENAO
Associated Press
SANTIAGO, Chile -- President Michelle Bachelet announced the first stage of her promised education overhaul Monday, proposing an end to state subsidies to for-profit schools — a step toward eventual free university education in Chile.
Bachelet said she is answering the call of millions of students who have staged protests since 2011 demanding deep changes in an educational system that fails them with poor-quality public schools and expensive private universities.
"We're taking the first step toward Chile's most significant education reform in 50 years," Bachelet said in announcing the package.
"We're following through with what our students repeatedly said: Education is a right, not a privilege."
The bill heading to Congress on Tuesday would cut subsidies to for-profit schools and forbid government-backed primary schools and kindergartens from rejecting students on the basis of tests or interviews.
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