Students and Teachers take to the streets

Three thousand angry students and teachers protested against educational reform in the Balearics yesterday, although police sources said that figure was more like 2.000. Nevertheless, Balearic Education Minister, Damiá Pons, said that the high figures speak for themselves, that the Balearics rejects the government's educational reforms, in particular the fact that over 60 per cent of teachers joined the protest. In Minorca, 90 per cent of secondary school teachers and students joined the protest, 62 per cent in Ibiza and 57 per cent in Majorca. The Movement for Public Education declared the demonstrations, which were carried out across the country, a huge success and police reported no incidents. The march, which set off from the Plaza del Tubo at mid-day, attracted the participation of a number of socialist and left wing MP's who all disapprove of the reforms which they claim means more money for the private sector at the expense of public education. The demonstrators marched on the central government delegation off the Borne, where a letter of protest was read out, calling for equal education for all, under the close watch of the police. However, the lack of incidents was welcomed by police chiefs in Palma last night as previous protests against the education reforms which were introduced earlier this year despite opposition, ended in violence and disturbances. Across the country, it was being claimed by the UGT union last night, that 80 per cent of secondary school students joined protest marches yesterday and that over 100.000 people joined the protest through Madrid.