Education protest week to kick off on 11 March

On Monday 11 March, the trade unions AOb, FNV and Vawo, together with the protest movement ‘WOinActie’ (higher education in action), will organize a rally at the Academieplein (Broerstraat 5) to mark the start of the education protest week. During this week, all sectors of education, from primary schools to universities, will be campaigning for higher investments in quality education. The protests during this week have the support of many employers in education, including the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU).

The Chair of the Board of the University of Groningen, Jouke de Vries, and AOb and FNV union leader Marjan Dijkema, will give short speeches addressing the reasons for the protests, which will culminate in the national education strike on Friday 15 March.

As an alternative ‘noise protest’, city carillonneur Auke de Boer will play a medley of children’s songs and student songs on the UG carrillon at 11.55 a.m. The speeches by De Vries and Dijkema will be recorded and published on the UG website.

Programme

• 11.45 a.m. - 13.30 p.m.: trade unions distributing flyers at the Academieplein
• 11.45 a.m. - 12.05 p.m.: Medley of children’s and student songs played on the University carillon
• 12.05 - 12.15 p.m.: word of welcome to the campaigners and speech by Jouke de Vries (Chair of the Board of the University)
• 12.15 - 12.25 p.m.: response on behalf of the trade unions by Marjan Dijkema (AOb Executive Officer and FNV Executive Board member)