About two hundred students stood on Museumplein this afternoon to demonstrate against the current loan system. The students argue for a debt-free basic grant and compensation for the students who have had to deal with the loan system.
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The young activists stood in rings 1.5 meters apart. Under the hashtag #NietMijnSchuld, they spoke out against the current arrangement whereby students must take out a loan in order to study. Previously this was a performance grant, but it was abolished in 2015.
“The loan system sends young people into debt for the rest of their lives,” says Bas van Weegberg of FNV Young & United. According to him, this loan system causes a lot of stress during the study, but it also makes it more difficult afterwards, for example, to buy a house. “We don’t think that’s a way to give young people a future.”
Van Weegberg also has questions about the quality of higher education. “It was promised that 1 billion would be invested in education, but we have doubts about where the money ended up.”
Berets with student debt
In addition to the # NietMijnSchuld flags that were clearly visible everywhere, many students also wore berets with the amount of their student debt.
In addition to FNV Young & United, the demonstration was also co-organized by the student union LSVb. This afternoon’s action was part of a national week of action against the loan system.
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