The government’s proposal for the teacher appointment system has a clear goal: to ensure that teachers already serving in public schools can be appointed, to provide fair opportunities for the next generation of teachers, and to ensure the smooth staffing of our schools, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of the education system. This is stated in today’s lengthy announcement by the Ministry of Education, which aims to address the criticisms and issues that have arisen regarding educational reform and the appointment system.
The Ministry goes on to state:
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
“What does this mean in practice? It means that teachers who are already serving in our schools and meet the established criteria will retain their eligibility for appointment. That new teachers will continue to have access to a merit-based appointment system. And that the operation of our schools will not be disrupted by the distortions that have arisen during the long transitional period.
The need for this specific reform stems from a real and immediate problem. Under the legislation passed in 2015, as of September 1, 2027, appointments must be made exclusively from the list of eligible candidates. Without additional provisions, a significant number of teachers currently in service would face restrictions on their eligibility for appointment, with consequences for school staffing as well.
The Government has chosen to address this issue now, through fair, practical, and legally sound measures. We recognize the experience and contributions of current teachers, uphold meritocracy, and create opportunities for new teachers. Because at the heart of every decision regarding education must be, first and foremost, our students and the quality of public education.
In light of public statements and media reports, the Ministry of Education, Sports,
and Youth deems it necessary to clarify the basic parameters of the reform.
1. The need to address the distortions in the current system
According to the 2015 legislation, as of September 1, 2027, only teachers who have passed the exams and are included on the list of eligible candidates should be appointed. During the long transitional period that has elapsed, significant distortions have arisen. Among these is the fact that teachers currently working in public schools have either failed or have not taken the appointment exams, as well as problems identified in the examination process itself. The application of existing legislation, without additional provisions, would limit the possibilities for appointing a significant number of serving teachers and would create a problem with staffing schools.
The Government has chosen to address these distortions with practical measures, rather than postponing the resolution of a problem that affects the functioning of public education.
2. Ensuring the possibility of appointing currently serving teachers
Recognizing the importance of prior service and seeking to capitalize on the experience of teachers who have served or are currently serving in public schools, the Ministry of Education proposes the creation of a special registry. This will ensure that all teachers who meet the established criteria remain part of the appointment system, retaining the possibility of being appointed, depending on current educational needs—as is the case today—until they are granted permanent status or their employment is converted to indefinite-term status.
Their appointments will continue to be made as they are today, based on a 50%-50% ratio, that is, with 50% of positions filled from the special registry and the remaining 50% from the list of eligible candidates, until the registry is exhausted. At the same time, prior work experience is recognized as a substantial qualification and is taken into account in the scoring and ranking process for candidates in the exams for the new list of eligible candidates.
As for permanent teachers, they continue to have priority in the placement process, based on educational needs and in accordance with applicable law.
The special registry provides for:
- Contract teachers, including those serving in Optional Full-Day Schools (POS), who worked under contract during the 2025–2026 and/or 2026–2027 and who will have completed at least ten months of service under contract by August 31, 2027 (equivalent to one “annual” contract).
- Substitute teachers who have completed 24 months of prior service over the last five years from the 2022–2023 school year through the 2026–2027 school year.
3. Modernization of Examinations and Uniform Criteria for Tenure
- The proposal retains the system of examinations for prospective permanent teachers, while seeking to improve it.
- The exams are expected to maintain a similar level of difficulty to previous ones, with upgraded and more valid content, with a clearer emphasis on the pedagogical dimension and the professional skills required of teachers.
- Candidates will be ranked on the list based on criteria, as is currently the case, with a 50% weighting on the exam score, 20% on prior work experience, 10% on the year the first degree was awarded, 9% on additional academic qualifications, etc.
- Tenure will be granted to all candidates in a uniform manner, based on their ranking on the list of eligible candidates.
The proposal aims to establish a unified and transparent appointment system, contributing to the elimination of the multiple and disparate lists currently in effect.
4. Smooth Transition and Staffing of Schools
The existing appointment system will continue to apply through August 31, 2027. Consequently, more than 90% of school staffing will be completed in accordance with current legislation. For new or urgent needs that arise during the first months of each school year, the Ministry of Education, in close cooperation with the Educational Services Committee (EEC), is developing alternative scenarios for managing and addressing these needs, which will be announced in the near future.
The rational staffing of schools is a constant obligation of the State and a key parameter in the planning of the reform.
5. The proposal was developed through a substantive dialogue
The Ministry of Education has already engaged in consultations with labor unions and other stakeholders, during which a substantive dialogue took place and concerns and suggestions were examined. As a result of this process, the Ministry of Labor has already adopted several of the trade unions’ positions, a fact evidenced by a comparison of the first and second proposals, which have been made public, as well as by the differences between them.
Among the provisions formulated through this process are:
- The retention of the special registry until it is exhausted.
- Maintaining comparability with the results of previous exams until 2033
- Maintaining the exam score for a certain number of years
- The range of prior work experience for the registry
- Additional specific provisions that emerged from the dialogue.
However, disagreement remains regarding the unions’ demand for the permanent appointment of teachers included in the registry without their participation in a classification exam, in which prior teaching experience would be recalculated. The Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs emphasizes that fulfilling this specific demand is subject to legal constraints. Specifically, based on legal advice, it is not legally permissible to grant permanent status to educators without following a uniform procedure for all, namely the classification exam.
Meaningful dialogue does not require the acceptance of every request. It requires discussion and evaluation of the proposals, incorporation of those that can be implemented given the legal aspects of the issues, as well as a well-documented explanation of the remaining differences.
In conclusion, it is emphasized that the public consultation process is a statutory obligation of the State, aimed at ensuring that, before a bill is submitted to the Council of Ministers and subsequently to the House of Representatives, the views of all stakeholders have been recorded and evaluated. At this stage as well, labor unions, as well as educators, citizens, and any other interested parties, have the opportunity to submit additional comments, if any.
The Ministry of Education fully respects the right to dissent and to engage in union activity. However, it considers it important that public dialogue be conducted responsibly and accurately based on the facts. At the same time, it calls on everyone to respect established procedures and to participate constructively in the debate on the bill in Parliament, as required by the democratic process, while avoiding unnecessary tensions.
Our educational system must evolve, adapt to contemporary needs, and overcome long-standing distortions and pathologies. Under no circumstances can it perpetuate rigidities or remain trapped in entrenched notions and practices that hinder the necessary path of reform.
The Ministry of Education’s proposal constitutes a fair and balanced framework that, on the one hand, recognizes the importance of prior teaching experience and, on the other hand, preserves the reform-oriented nature of the examination for prospective teachers. The improvement of public schools is a responsibility of the State, which it has consistently undertaken for the benefit of our children and society.”
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