By María Josefina Arce 

A 24-hour general strike will be held this Thursday by the workers of Argentina's public universities, since the cuts of the government of President Javier Milei endanger the functioning of these institutions and the possibility of young people to reach higher education.

Federico Montero, Secretary of Organization of the Federation of University Teachers, pointed out that the cuts carried out by the executive affect 170,000 teachers, 45,000 non-teaching staff, 57 universities and more than two million students.

Last January, the authorities reduced by almost 30 BILLION pesos the funds destined to the centers of higher studies of the public system, which are facing the possibility of having to close their doors.

Rectors of these institutions have warned that their operation will be compromised as from next month, due to the high inflation which will affect the necessary expenses.

University canteens, scholarships and resources for research, which contribute so much to development, will be affected.

In fact, the Progresar scholarships have already been seriously damaged since Milei took office in December. Argentina's Student Support Program, created in 2014 to help low-income young people has frozen funds.

Every time the possibilities of reaching the centers of high studies of young people from humble families are further away.

Photo: La Izquierda Diario

Several sectors have denounced that Milei's plans are to privatize public facilities, opening a new business area for the big capital.

It is another example of the intentions of the President to disarticulate the State, and in this case to eliminate its function as the engine and guarantor of education.

The teachers will also paralyze their work to demand a fair salary from the government, given the increase in the cost of living due to the neoliberal package put in place, which has complicated the lives of many Argentines.

 With his criticized economic measures, Milei is asphyxiating the public universities and reducing the possibilities for young people of lesser means to access these centers, where the future of the country is formed.