Students at the Free University and the Humboldt Universtiy in Berlin
struck for two days (12/13 December) as part of a Europe-wide week of
action against the privatisation of education, encouraged by the General
Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS).

Criticising the plans of all major parties, but in particular the SPD (Social Democrats) and
the "post-Stalinist" PDS, who are currently working out a coalition for the
Berlin city government, the deputy chair of the education trade union GEW
(Berlin), Dieter Haase demanded a clear statement against tuition fees in
the coalition agreement, and said, "We demand further, that the
universities and their medical schools stay in public hands. End the
desire to privatise them! Privatisation isn't a way out, but a step in the
wrong direction. And we won't get involved."

"If the GATS plans...become reality, that's the end of equality of
opportunity and democratic participation in education. The danger would be
big that Germany would have to pull out of public-financed education.
American private unis are already preparing to set up branches in Germany.
Tuition fees and the introduction of a two-tier education system are the
price for privatisation."

To coincide with the EU summit in Brussels, thousands of students, school
pupils and education workers demonstrated in front of Berlin city hall
against GATS and the chronic state of the severely underfunded and run-down
education system in the capital.

Matt Heaney 13.12.2001

 heaney@zedat.fu-berlin.de
*******
 http://www.actionforsolidarity.org.uk
 http://www.labourstart.org

Join the Campaign for Free Education (UK):
Email  cfe@gn.apc.org !