Big student demo planned Thursday

As a student grant reform is put into place, students are venting their anger at the DKK 2 billion cuts. They will meet this Thursday at the City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen) for what is expected to be a large, and loud, demonstration.

The cuts to the Danish student grants will be channeled into private industry to boost national growth.

“This is extremely irresponsible policy-making, which will impede some students from obtaining a degree”, the organizers write on their Facebook page.

Students: Us – not industry

Planned cuts include denying students a grant for the so-called ‘fjumreår’ – (year of slacking), which is the sixth year of student grants. Also students living at home will see a substantial reduction.

Students plan to walk from the City Hall (Rådhuspladsen) to the square in front of parliament (Slotspladsen). After speeches and talks, the students will create a formation spelling the word ‘SU’ – an abbreviation for student grant in Danish.

The students advocate against student grant cuts for high school students, for keeping the sixth year of student grants for everybody and to give student grants to students – not the private industry.

Hits live-at-home students

The demonstration is organised by students organizations in Denmark, including Union of Danish High School Students (Danske Gymnasieelevers Sammenslutning, DGS), Danish Student Council (Danske Studerendes Fællesråd, DSF), National Union of Nursing Students (Sygeplejestuderendes Landssammenslutning, SLS) and more.

In a comment on Danish-language site Uniavisen.dk, chairman of the Danish Student Council, takes the example of Anne, who is a health student.

“Anne is a ’born and bred’ Copenhagener, and lives where she has always lived, in Vesterbro with her parents. This suits her perfectly, but not the government, that has chosen to cut down on her SU. This motivates Anne to write letters-to-the-editor every night, as there are more expenses than rent, when you are a student. Not least at university.”

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