Two students killed amid huge education protests

TeleSUR English 23 May 2015

Chile has been hit by another round of protests on the part of student groups demanding substantial reforms to the country’s education system. Amid the nationwide protests, two student activists were killed on 14 May, reports TeleSUR English.

Local media said both students were gunned down by a Valparaiso store owner as they attempted to hang a banner over his shop. The deaths came after a day of clashes between police and protesters in cities across the country. In the capital Santiago, police used water cannons to disperse crowds after a 150,000-strong march through the city centre to demand changes to the country’s education system. Several people were reportedly injured in clashes between riot police and students.

The protests were the latest explosion of outrage in a long-running dispute between the Chilean government and the student movement. The government of President Michelle Bachelet has committed to providing universal higher education by next year, in response to years of massive student protests demanding serious reform. Bachelet's government vowed to overhaul Chile's education system, but student groups say progress is too slow.
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