Chile students protest reforms
Students march against new education policies
Thousands of university and secondary school students marched through central Santiago to protest education policies proposed by President José Antonio Kast’s government, organizers and local media reported. Demonstrators gathered near the former National Congress, proceeded along the Alameda and reached Plaza Baquedano under the banner “Against the setback, we march,” in a rally led by the Confederation of Students of Chile (Confech) and the Coordinating Assembly of Secondary Students (ACES).
Police units were deployed in downtown Santiago and footage showed officers using water cannon to disperse parts of the crowd after protesters threw objects at security vehicles. Local outlets reported no arrests by evening. The mobilization reflects mounting discontent over government plans to curb free access to higher education, eliminate the Becas Chile scholarship program and impose tighter oversight of state-backed student loans (CAE). Protesters contend the measures would reduce university access, raise costs for families and reverse advances in educational inclusion, with potential negative effects on the wider economy.
University and secondary student leaders have called for the proposals to be withdrawn and urged wider mobilization, including strikes and campus assemblies, if authorities do not engage in substantive talks. Some institutions have already experienced disruptions, prompting temporary suspensions of in-person classes and shifts to remote instruction in anticipation of further protests.
The government defends the reforms as necessary to improve efficiency, accountability and financial sustainability in the education system, and officials say dialogue with student representatives remains open. Educators, civil-society groups and opposition figures have criticized the package as market-oriented and likely to exacerbate inequality, while student unions argue meaningful negotiation requires reconsideration of core elements of the plan.
The demonstrations revive a longstanding national debate over public education policy that has been central to Chilean politics for years. Observers warn the dispute could shape social and political dynamics ahead, with outcomes depending on whether authorities and student leaders reach compromise or whether protests and institutional disruptions persist.
