SAYS EDUCATION. TS 1975 IN INNER LoAD* A major campaign of student strikes and demonstrations is taking place France against the latest in a serie:
in university educatior undertaken by the conment 1968. The struggle began in Februar;
in some universities outside Paris.
soon spread to include a majority universities in France as well as techIn a demonstration that took place or 35, 000 students marchec in detiance of threats of police repression and an increasing campaign government intimidation. Another thia point' was reached when, on April 15 100,000 university, high school Can a technical school students marched more than 30 cities.
The protests began when the Ministry of Education published the 'guide the Soisson reform (named after the former Minister of Education)
The government claims that the reform provides an answer to growing grad -uate unemployment by better preparing students for avallable jobs and cutting back on the number of graduates where there are no openings, particularly ir In fact. however. , ine retorm is aimec at only better preparing the students for tedious work in industry at the ex.
pence of individual, human educationa!
The reform is also part of the French government's attempt to generally discipline the masses of radical The outburst against the new 'reion beginning in towns such as Amiens and soon spread nation-wide. Loselected strike committees elec:es a national 'strike committee! .-'-had begur ca student action. Made up ical tendencies, as well as many independent students, the committee was the months went by able to rely on ever its calls.
The government has tried to 'contair the movement by claiming that the stucents on strike are a minority domina es and French Secretary the Universities Alice Saunier - Sere has issued repeated calls for the ' silent majority' to organise to break the struggle. Some 'back to studies' com -mittees and demonstrations have taker place mostly under the influence of fasscist and right wing student groups, bu: these have mostly failed.
More important is the coercion and outright repression being used by government. There have been threats to cancel examinations and not to aiplomas at the end of the year. More the use of direct repression against the demonstrations has been escalated. Virtually every demonstration has been attacked by the police.
a further obstacle to the spread of the strike Is ine policies of the Communist and Socialist Parties.
considerable influence in the SNE Sup Al used this intuence to try and undermine the growing stwhen minally forced to support it to keep some credibility in the student movement. did its utmost to prevent the teachers from giving it any along with the continued. refusai or ine cru and cartoloinintai is a formidable barrier for the students. Both these large trade union federations, dominated by the CF counterpose support tor the Union of the Left electoral front to mass sluacus ane They are seeking to 'head offi another May even at the expence the LCR (French sectior of the Fourth International) has fought and obtain the big. gest possible mobilisations. At the same it has fought against those, like the CP, who have refused to observe the democratic functioning of the strike committees. It is only such a perspect -ive, which combines democratic discussion with bold resolute action, that will allow the student movement to broaden "is support and go torwara to win its
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Union Of The Left In addition to government repression,