The conflict between the Ministry of Education and teachers’ organizations over the issue of teacher appointments is reaching a boiling point.
All three teachers’ organizations met today to thoroughly review the Ministry of Education’s new proposal. Their decision to mobilize remains firm.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
“Not only will the mobilization not be canceled—it must take place tomorrow. Conflict is not an end in itself, but under no circumstances will we accept hasty or dangerous solutions for our children, because at the end of the day, they are the ones who will bear the brunt of this problem.”
POED
The Minister of Education makes it clear once again that automatic tenure is NOT permitted in the public sector, taking a dig at the teachers’ unions.
“Perhaps they want exclusive rights to appointments for their members. If the goal is simply to say that we want things to stay as they are, with no changes, then that’s not healthy.”
Athina Michailidou – Minister of Education
The Association of Secondary School Teachers Awaiting Appointment holds a different view from the teachers’ organizations; it criticizes the organizations’ request to maintain the list of candidates for appointment.
Association of Teachers Awaiting Appointment
In a very short time, we have seen reactions from various educational factions that demonstrate they do not want improvements to the New Appointees System; their sole objectiveseems to be the preservation of the list of candidates for appointment.
The association welcomes the minister’s new proposal, which, as she states, improves the system and safeguards teachers.
The Parliament Issues a Warning
Just as with the bill on the new evaluation system, it appears that the members of the Education Committee will be left to deal with this issue on their own, as they will be called upon to “get the snake out of the hole” themselves.
“And I want to be clear with the teachers’ organizations and the Ministry. If and when they cannot reach an agreement or arrive at a joint text, our job as the Education Committee is to try to bring the text we are given as close as possible to a consensus. So not everyone will be satisfied, so they shouldn’t complain.”
Chrysanthos Savvides – DIKO Member of Parliament
Chrysanthos Savvides even condemned the fact that, for the past 10 years—during which we have been in a transitional period—no discussion has taken place, and now attempts are being made at the last minute to provide solutions.
Watch Eleni Michael’s report:
