Protest in Amsterdam: Students are not cash cows!

Protest in Amsterdam: Students are not cash cows!

This Friday, 14 September, students together with DWARS, GroenLinkse Youth, ROOD, Young in the SP, ASVA Student Union, FNV Jong and the Young Socialists will take action. At 14:00, they will gather at Dam Square in Amsterdam to voice their dissatisfaction against the interest rate rise. D66 minister Van Engelshoven decided that students will have to pay more interest on their student loans. Lisa de Leeuw of ROOD, young in the SP: "We were promised a social loan system with favourable terms and investment in education. What we got was a debt system with cuts in education. This kicks off new student protests."

Since 2000, the contribution paid by the state per student has fallen by about a quarter, and this government is cutting almost an additional 200 million from all education. The promised increase in interest rates could add 5,000 euros to a student debt that already averages 24,000 euros. Julia Matser of DWARS, GroenLinkse Youth: "The social loan system is slowly being replaced by an anti-social loan system, and we are no longer putting up with this. Aan next Friday, we will let it be heard that we are not government cash cows!"

Students are under increasing pressure to complete their studies quickly. Twan Wilmes of the Young Socialists: "Higher interest rates on top of those debts, increases the workload even more. We should not want that." The consequences are also becoming increasingly clear: a quarter of students struggle with burnout symptoms. In addition, education seems to be becoming less accessible to all young people. Alba van Vliet of the ASVA: "It is ridiculous that the minister is now putting further pressure on accessibility to education. The government is making students pay more and more, while education is only being cut. We will not let this happen."

On Facebook, in just one day, hundreds of students are already indicating their intention to attend on Friday. The organisations do not want to stop at one protest, but are calling for more. Bastiaan Meijer of FNV Jong: "We call on everyone for a broad protest, against cuts and the loan system, and for good and accessible education for all young people."