Students from public universities across Colombia marched once again on Thursday.

This time, though, their protests was not be limited to reclaim free higher education. According to the National Union of Students of Higher Education (Unees), the demonstrations also “rejected the systematic murder of social leaders, against repression and for higher education”.

This has been the ninth manifestation of the recent strike, and, according to student leaders, the last of the year. However, the demonstration does not mean the cessation of the student strike that has been going on for two months.

With Thursday’s march, the students closed the nine days of activities and creative actions they carried out in Bogota. Often hooded persons and the Esmad (special riot police) attacked the students but those assaults have been rejected by the community surrounding the students strike.

On Thursday also the Esmad attacked the students. 

Parallel to the demonstrations in the streets, the students resumed the talks table with the government led by President Ivan Duque. There, they are trying to reach agreements with the Ministry of Education to present a financial solution to the delicate situation of the country's public universities.

It should be remembered that the State owes the country's 32 public universities $ 18.2 billion Colombia pesos (almost 40 million euro). 

The structural de-financing of higher education began in 1992, with Law 30, which regulates education in the country. This law, which is still in force today, did not take into account investments in technology, for which the universities would have to pay for it from their own small budges. 

To solve the problem the students, belonging to Unees and Acrees organizations, have designed 10 proposals. Those have being negotiated with the government on Thursday. 

A few days back, Acrees students went to the Congress to expose to the deputies the points that once again have taken them into the streets of Colombia.