By Agencies

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Thousands of students are marching in Chile again demanding free and better education.

President Sebastian Pinera is offering his own solution to the country's education woes - a tax bill he plans to present to congress on Thursday that should raise $700 million to make the Chile's largely private system more accessible.

The government said about 30,000 students joined Wednesday's march in Santiago. Student leaders estimate more than 50,000 took part. A small group of protesters set a guard booth on fire, tried to vandalise a traffic light and threw rocks at police, who responded with water cannons.

Education Minister Harald Bayer says the march was not justified. But student leader Gabriel Boric says the government still treats education as a consumer product, rather than a universal right.