Wednesday (October 29) The Italian Senate has approved a controversial school reform bill as Bruno students held orderly sit-in within the school premises today.
The bill was passed with 164 votes in favour and 134 against.A lot of students gathered during the vote in Rome.
The students blame Italian Finance minister Giulio Tremonti and Education minister Mariastella Gelmini for the new reforms which they believe will prevent them from learning.
A banner outside the Bruno read “Don’t take culture away from us!
Opposition Senator Anna Finocchiaro said: “I think we should propose a referendum to change the law. This way, using a tool of direct democracy, we can make the government, who has been deaf to the protests, that the essence of government is in listening and that what governments propose are proposals not impositions“.
The wave of student protests against the bill were joined by university students and professors who complain about what they describe as ‘severe’ cuts in the education and research budget contained in the budget law (DL 133), which was approved earlier this year.
TV news showed riots in Rome.