There are laws and regulations that specify exactly when schools start, Education Minister Athina Michaelidou emphasized in her remarks following the conclusion of the Cabinet meeting, while also commenting on the issue of the list of appointees.
Specifically, in response to a question about the discussions regarding the difficulty some parents face in arranging childcare, given that the school year for children begins on September 14, the Minister said that they are enforcing the law, adding that there are laws and regulations that specify exactly when schools begin.
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“This is not arbitrary; it is not decided by any Minister, any educational organization, or the parents’ confederations. So, we know exactly when middle schools, high schools, and technical schools—and the second Monday in September, which this year happens to be September 14, for elementary school children,” the minister reiterated.
She also noted that, worldwide, schools close for summer break during the summer months.
“The government offers many options. We have summer schools, which are being upgraded and expanded, and we’re also collaborating with local authorities on summer camps. Beyond that, from an educational standpoint alone, it wouldn’t be right for children to be constantly in a structured setting—in a school-like environment, if you will—without spending time with their own family, their parents or grandparents,” he concluded.
List of Appointees
When asked about the List of Appointees and whether it puts an end to the discussions calling for an extension, Ms. Michailidou said: “Not at all—quite the opposite,” and she reiterated that what they are doing is improving the existing legislation.
“There is a law that provides for the abolition of the Appointees List. That is, the list where people simply submit their degree upon completing their studies—a list that currently includes thousands of teachers, about 40,000, and who are admitted solely through exams,” he said.
He added that “a transitional period had been decided upon in 2017, which would give everyone the opportunity to make their decisions so that by 2027, entry would be based solely on exams.”
We, he explained, “are correcting the distortions in this legislation. Because if we simply let it operate and be implemented, we won’t have enough teachers to appoint to our schools since not many people were passing the exam.”
And “what are we doing, quite simply?” the Minister said, “we’re working on two levels.”
“We’re revising the exam. Because this exam has a number of flaws—which is why so few passed—and, on the other hand, we’re improving the selection process. We’re recognizing the prior experience of people who have been working in schools in recent years, which is why we’re creating a closed list to give them priority; and on the other hand, through a specific exam— accessible, and highly valid based on our requirements, everyone will be included in a roster, in a ranking without a specific basis for permanent appointment,” she added.
So, Ms. Michaelidou said, “to be very specific, it’s one thing to appoint teachers to schools and quite another to grant them permanent status.”
“We grant permanent status only through an examination. I should note that we have begun the discussion, and the Ministry is open to hearing the concerns, suggestions, and clarifications that teachers’ organizations wish to raise, and we have already scheduled our meetings, starting this week,” he noted.
Source: KYPE
