Young students suspect DUO in Amsterdam because of ‘compensation’ 1000 euros
Ten Young Socialists loaded the Amsterdam office of DUO with dozens of hot air on Friday afternoon. The action is in the run-up to the major compensation protest on the Museumplein this Saturday, to draw attention to the lack of real compensation for the large student debts of current students.
Empty boxes
The youths arrived in cars filled with empty boxes before reaching the main entrance of the office. ‘It symbolizes everything that current students receive from this cabinet: hot air,’ says Talitha Laane (23) and candidate councilor for the Weesp board committee. For years, students have suffered from an experiment that failed, now those students are compensated with about 1000 euros for often a student loan of tens of thousands of euros. If it was April 1, you thought it was a good joke, but it isn’t. The reality is that the new cabinet is a dramatic compensation in a nice guise.’
Study generation victim of experiment
Anne Ancuta, chemistry student and candidate for the municipal elections in Amsterdam West: ‘The consequences of that debt are not small. Everything becomes more difficult, buying a house, building a buffer for later. A study generation is a victim of this experiment and that promotes inequality. Studying is about learning something and about your future, not about your debts that you have because you happen to be of the times. That is why the meager compensation feels like a very cynical joke on the part of this cabinet’.
Number of young people with student debt doubled
Research by Statistics Netherlands has shown that the number of young people with a student loan has doubled. And the total student debt has also doubled. Calculations by the CPB showed that the ‘compensation’ as written in the coalition agreement is not worth it. After the formation of this compensation, the compensation protest of 5 February will be organized by FNV young & united and the National Student Union. The Young Socialists are also present to fight for fair compensation and a fair basic grant.