Student protests in Denmark

United we stand

A new proposal from the Danish government sent shock-waves through the Danish universities. The proposal suggested cutting down the economic support for students - a support that is unique for the Danish system. It resulted in the biggest demonstrations since the 1970's. Students stood together - and in the end, they won


By SABRINA DREVSFELDT
from Odense, DENMARK


"No to cutbacks - invest in the future. No to cutbacks - invest in the future. No to cutbacks - invest in the future." Students stood there for several hours chanting the same seven words over and over again. They have blocked one of the entrances to The University of Copenhagen. They refused to leave. Big, homemade signs moved up and down to the rhythm of the seven words. Flayers had being handed out to passing people. The students were angry - they were fighting for their rights.

There is a reason for all the drama: On February 2nd, the Danish Government launched a proposal as part of a new tax reform plan. The proposal suggested that the Danish six year economic support for students should be cut down to four years. This was not well received by the students.

"This is one of the most stupid proposals ever. As it is I'm already having problems getting my bills paid. I have to concentrate more on working than studying and that is not right", said a student at Copenhagen Business School, Anders Brix Serup.

The Danish government, however, sees the sensibility in the proposal - it is a part of a reform promising tax cuts. According to president of the tax commission, launching the new tax reform, it is fair that the students contribute to the tax cuts - in the long run it will benefit themselves:

"We suggest that the last two years of a higher education gets financed through a loan. They will get the same amount every month, but when they are done and get a job, they will make tons of money with the new tax cuts", declared Carsten Koch to the Danish newspaper Politiken.

The Danish resource is know-how

Student organizations all over the country cannot see the purpose of the new proposal. They think that the proposal contradicts the government's goal of making young people complete a higher education.

"When the government was elected, one of the main goals was higher education because know-how is the main resource in Denmark. We don't have lots of oil or iron, but we can educate smart heads. That is our chance to survive as a country. With this new proposal, young people would not choose to go to school, if they were doomed to finance it themselves, and that would be catastrophic", says Jens Theil, spokesman for Syddanske Studerende, the biggest organization of students at the Southern University of Denmark.

The student group KUA against cut backs is supporting this argument. On its website the group says that this proposal lacks a sense of reality - if the country is in need of smart heads as a source for income, it is not sensible to destroy a system that insures a lot of young people to get a higher education.

This opinion is shared by students all over the country. In two weeks, 25.000 students joined the Facebook group "No to the tax commissions support-deterioration - invest in the future". In a few days, 15,000 students signed a petition against the proposal and sent it to the government. Innumerable demonstrations and blockages of university entrances have swept through the country. Students have united - claiming their right.

A unique system worth fighting for

The students are fighting for a system that is quite different than that of other countries. In Denmark every person is entitled to an education. To make that a reality, the state finances an education for everyone - the universities and schools are free to attend and on top of that the state pays you to go to school. This payment is called "The States Education Support" - in short the SU. A SU consists of approximately 700 Euro a month - the idea is that students do not have to work as much during their studying years plus students from a poorer background also has a chance to get a higher education. Compared to other countries this is a very generous system.

"To young people in other countries this may sound like we are very spoiled in Denmark. But in a country where knowledge is our only export good, except from pigs, it is a necessity to get young people to implement a higher education", stressed Jens Theil.

In most of other countries, the educational systems is based on scholarships and schools you have to pay for. And the Danish students also pay for this system - just in another way: they pay one of the highest income taxes the rest of their lives.

Apparently the students are willing to pay these high taxes in return for an educational system where everybody has a chance. Since the publication of the proposal students have shown a unity unseen in many years in Denmark.

"These past few weeks has degraded the prejudices about a Danish youth that does not care. In Denmark we have a tradition of being well organized; we students have shown now that we are too. It is because of this we have been able to stand united", stated Jens Theil.

Skewing the society

The educational system is, as mentioned, designed to give every young person a chance to get a higher education regardless background. Students therefore accuse the new proposal of skewing the society.

"Students from a weak background will not have the resources to implement a higher education if they have to pay for the last two years themselves. A 16 year old from a poor background will choose the job where he or she can earn money right away instead of the long education they have to finance themselves. In the end we will not have enough know-how in Denmark", concluded Jens Theil.

Denmark is one of the countries in EU with the smallest income gap between wealthy and poor. According to several student organizations, it is partly because of the Danish educational system and if the Danish government wants to keep the smaller income gap it has to maintain the educational system as it is.

In the end - victory

After weeks of demonstrations and blockages, several parties in the Danish parliament said no to the proposal about a four year support instead of a six year support. The proposal got dropped mainly because the supporting party of the government voted no to the proposal.

"It would be moronic to send the signal to the students that the society will not support them in their education. We have a unique and well functioning educational system in Denmark that contributes to the fact that we are one of the most well educated populations in the world. And that we have to preserve", said Martin Henriksen, draftsman on education for The Danish People Party for the Danish television station DR.

Proponents of the biggest student organization on Southern University of Denmark, Syddanske Studerende, thinks the politicians got a fright:

"Simply, I think they got scared. Even some of the students consistently supporting the government joined demonstrations and I think the politicians realized that the proposal would not lead to anything good", says Jens Theil.

After the dropping of the proposal students have celebrated their victory in all main cities in Denmark. They were united - and they won.


(Published: 10.03.2009.)