Why students don’t get tired of standing up for their rights

An article written by the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU).

As learners, we often face situations where we are denied our rights. School students can specifically name numerous situations where they are confronted with hierarchical structures, unstimulating learning environments and an education that lacks accessibility and leaves no room for the student voice.

On 17 November 2013, European school students will once again mark the International Students’ Day. School student organisations and school student unions across Europe will take action to mark the struggles that school students have faced in the past and reiterate their demands for a fairer school system.

The date of International Students’ Day was chosen by the 2004 World Social Forum. The date commemorates the storming of the University of Prague in 1939 and the brutal repression of student activists that followed. Information about the history of the International Students’ Day can be found at: www.obessu.org/17now

On the International Students’ Day, OBESSU calls for a universal recognition of school student rights. OBESSU demands that: all fees and hidden costs in schools are abolished; equal status is given to vocational education; and that schools across Europe are run democratically. In times of austerity, OBESSU demands investment and the prioritisation of education as a means to overcome the crisis.

We currently find ourselves in a situation where budgets for schools are cut, youth unemployment has soared and social tension is dividing young people. Europe stands at a crossroad and the choices of people and policy makers today will shape the lives of citizens tomorrow. We cannot afford to forget a generation of young people in return for short term economic interests. We must invest in education and youth to secure a better future!