Italian students protest budget cuts
Thousands of students took to the streets of Italian cities today to protest a reform of the university system and budget cuts decided by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government.
There were more than 100 marches by students including in Milan, Rome, Florence, Palermo and L'Aquila, a historic city that was heavily damaged by an earthquake last year that killed more than 300 people.
Students are outraged over cuts of around nine billion euros (12 billion dollars) and 130,000 jobs in the education system that the Italian government has engaged to carry out by 2013.
The reform will merge several smaller higher education establishments, bring external managers into university boards and reduce the mandate for deans. Critics say it is aimed simply at cutting costs.
Students in Rome marched from La Sapienza university into central Rome, with one banner reading: "What is Our Future In the Middle of All These Ruins?"
Protesters occupied a dean's office at the university in Palermo in Sicily and daubed graffiti on banks and shops during a march in Milan.
Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini said the protesters were "those who want to keep the status quo, those who are against any type of change."
"We need to aim for a quality education system, better linked to the employment market and more international," she added.
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GiovDeMartino
Nov 18th 2010, 17:42
If in country A a man earns 3000 euros per month but has to pay hundreds of euros for his TV licence and car license, 10 euros for a kilo of fish, 4 euros for a bottle of water ecc and then has his salary frozen for FIVE WHOLE years.....that's heaven on earth.
GiovDemartino
Nov 17th 2010, 17:30
Austerity here, austerity there austerity everywhere.......BUT NOT IN MALTA.
w. Cauchi
Nov 18th 2010, 08:44
If worker in Country A has a monthly wage of €3,000 and this is cut to € 2800. That is austerity, right. Poor chaps, how can they survive.
But but than if worker in Country B has a monthly wage of €1000 and he is given a wage increase of € 1.15 per week, than this is heaven. Ole, ole, ole, ole.
Who is better off? A or B.
Statistics, figures, scales, etc., etc. It's all rubbish.
Mr Robert Agius
Oct 7th 2011, 16:44
After a number of years it becomes - NORMALITY.
Please choose the reason of your report below: