The debate around the teacher appointment system may be ongoing, but the parties involved still have strong views on the issue and, it seems, they will hardly abandon them.
This picture was also evident during yesterday's session of the Parliament's Education Committee, where the Minister of Education and educational organizations submitted their positions in a strong and clear way.
Speaking first, Minister Athena Michailidou informed the Committee that she will put before it a balanced and legal proposal, while responding to criticism from MPs about delays in the submission of a relevant bill on this issue, she stressed that the Ministry is ready to submit its proposal even next week. However, he informed that there are some open issues that are on the table, in the context of the dialogue with the educational organizations.
At the same time, Ms. Michailidou wondered: "If the existing appointment system was considered anachronistic in 2015, what is it today?", clarifying that the proposal that will be prepared will be updated and legal, as there are some points in the whole issue, which need to be consulted with the Legal Service.
Another point that the Minister of Education focused on is the criticism of the victimization of teachers who have served in Public Education for so many years, but with the regulation that is being attempted, they are left out of the system and without permanence. "We don't throw people who worked outside," he said, explaining that this is the first time this service is recognized. However, he wondered "in which country can you be appointed only by submitting your degree?".
In statements, the Minister stated that "we are dealing with the issue in cooperation with the Legal Service, because there are acquired and legal interests of the people who have already passed the examination and are waiting for appointment. So, we say, we recognize the service in the public school, these people have worked for ten years, whether they are contract workers or substitutes for quite a long time. Because the indefinite do not miss this opportunity by definition, that is, they will continue to work and will be appointed through a closed list for the next few years, until this list ends, to cover the positions, the needs of the service and continue to work. If these people, however, want to be made permanent, only through the classification examination will they be made permanent, and you know now in the public sector in general, no one is made permanent without an examination. He no longer takes a position in the public sector."
Asked if the request is to make them permanent without an examination, Ms. Michailidou pointed out that now the topic of discussion is this: "They want to be made permanent without the examination".
In the meantime, the president of POED, Myria Vassiliou, was also strong in her position, who clearly gave the stigma on where the organization of teachers is oriented, in case teachers who are on the lists are not secured. "POED will react dynamically if people who have supported education and the public school for so many years are victimized and wronged," said Ms. Vassiliou, generally describing the issue of the appointment system as thorny. He stressed that all these years, her organization has submitted concerns and distortions arising from this legislation, without, as he said, any political boss having dealt with all these years.
At the same time, he again referred to the risks that lurk in the event of the abolition of the list of appointees in 2027, pointing out that the staffing of schools will have terrible problems, as "there will be no teachers to meet the needs in schools".
The president of OELMEK, Konstantinos Konstantinou, stated that the working text submitted by the Minister, as it stands, does not safeguard teachers. Also, Mr. Konstantinou commented on a report by Ms. Michailidou, who shortly before the Education Committee described the teachers as "excellent" as they do a great job in our schools. "If teachers are excellent, why then do they have to pass exams to become permanent?", asked Mr. Konstantinou.
It is recalled that OLTEK is in favor of the validity of three lists for a certain period of time, in order to ensure the smoothness of the transition. In his statements to "F", its president, Panagiotis Lysandrou, referred to: a) The existing list of appointees, b) the new list of appointees that will result from the exams, which is also the position of the Ministry and c) the closed list of teachers who served in Education.
AKEL: Preparing a law proposal
Besides, AKEL MP, Christos Christofides, informed that his party is preparing a proposal for a law to continue the existing legislation after 2027. And this, as he explained, because next year there will be chaos with the changes that are being promoted, but also because the existing system gives the opportunity to new teachers to enter the educational system, while, at the same time, ensuring the work of teachers who have the experience of teaching and the classroom. Mr. Christofides, addressing the Minister of Education, said: "You will be grateful to us for saving you from a huge chaos."
