Schools across the country are due to open next week. The Minister of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, referred to the eleven changes that will take effect from the beginning of the school year. Speaking on the show “Epilogue” by Apostolos Maggiriadis on ERT, he emphasized that “we have to organize our house as a whole in order to achieve better educational results”.
More specifically, explaining about the measure to ban cell phones in schools the minister referred among others to Unesco study for the matter. “It is very clear that the mobile phone and its use by students in the educational process is harmful” he underlined. At the same time, he added that “it is clear that we must intervene in the here and now. And that’s what we’re starting to do.”
Kyriakos Pierrakakis said that its obvious possession and use is prohibited cell phone. While he also referred to the phrase used by the prime minister “the cell phone in the bag”. He explained that once a student uses a cell phone or is seen holding a cell phone there will be a framework of consequences.
“Whoever makes a video will change schools”
He mentioned that in the past there was a circular banning mobile phones in schools, but there were no consequences for their use.
Obvious possession and use are subject to a one-day suspension, while once a child is videotaped in a very sensitive moment, the person who is videotaping the person, the student who is videotaping, will change schools, the minister clarified.
These measures from the restoration of the five-day suspension in schools, as it existed in our years, to measures concerning the change of the school environment are a framework of consequences that were mainly requested by the teachers themselves during the last school year, Kyriakos said. Pierrakakis and pointed out that these are tools in the hands of teachers.
It was also mentioned on changes that will apply to absences saying that the way they are counted will change. He emphasized that until last year it was a total number, there were no justified and unjustified ones, while when asked about it he said that this is done so that we do not have empty schools and especially empty high schools at the end of the school year in some cases.
“We have 10,000 permanent teacher appointments this year”
The Minister of Education said that 10,000 teachers were recruited this year and that the number of substitutes must be significantly reduced. He emphasized that every year the percentage of deputies will decrease in favor of permanent appointments and added that “this is the decision of the prime minister, I think this is the right policy.”
He estimated that this year all the times will come much ahead on all the dates regarding how schools operate. That is, next year will start even earlier. But all of these are things that you actually have to plan much earlier to be able to implement, he noted.
Regarding the ratio of teachers per student in Greece, he said that “we have 200,000 teachers and in relation to the total population we have, the fraction ends up being 8.2 students per teacher, while the European average is, do you know? It is 12.1. In other words, Greece has a much better average than the European average.”
School gaps and mergers
For the school vacancies he said that over the years “we have not done to the extent that we should do a good organizational job. To improve our house, a better distribution”. “In this context we have about 61,000 departments. Here we are now talking about mergerswhich are done in less than 2% of these departments,” he emphasized. He then gave an example “that is, in the 3rd Lyceum, a school in Kifissia has 6 to 6 children in this direction. A very close school has three kids in the other direction and you just put those two together. We are talking about the implementation of the law which has already been passed and has been implemented in the past. By way of exception, you have very small sections.”
The subject of mergers of departments has an organizational dimension to be able to achieve the best possible educational process and operation in the school he said at another point “so that the students can have the best possible results and the best possible education”.
“I don’t think there’s a parent, watching us right now nationwide, who doesn’t want every school to be fully staffed. It should have no gaps, it should have a good infrastructure, everything should work flawlessly. So in order to be able to guarantee this, we must organize the human resources of our teachers and professors optimally. We are not reinventing the wheel. These are things that every country on the planet, every country in Europe does. So we’ll do it well. And we will do it every year and better” he emphasized.
“If the parent doesn’t pay the damage, it will go to the tax office”
For her measure reparation of damages to schools by parents and if it will work, he said that he thinks that it is absolutely yes and that it is something that we have been discussing for years. As for who will do the attribution of the damage, he answered that it will start with the teachers’ association at the school, the Municipality will be added to the equation because the schools belong to the Municipality and from then on if the parent does not want to pay the specific damage, that he will go to the tax office and confirm from there.
Regarding the building infrastructure, he stated, among other things, that we will wait to hear what the prime minister has to say at TIF on this issue. “In any case, in the next period you will see the help of all of us to be able to improve the condition of the school roof. There is an issue, the schools must come in 2024 as public infrastructure.”
Asked if the teachers have the necessary expertise to be able to join them interactive tables in the school activity, the Minister of Education pointed out that there are training programs that teachers use and that the Institute of Educational Policy has formulated. “The protagonist is always the teacher and the relationship he develops with the student,” he emphasized. Interactive tables have been installed in the fifth and sixth grade, in middle school and high school.
How the course of Literature is changing – Showcase of new books
For her changing the teaching of her course literature, he emphasized that the dosage in these literature books, which have remained largely the same since we were at the desks, is different. We have to make an enrichment by putting the complete book next to this classic literature book. I think it is crucial that a child, a student, can love the book.”
Kyriakos Pierrakakis mentioned that “older, more classical literature will be added. Many international books which will also enter the school. I typically mention that they will be books about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Shakespeare. Julius Caesar will enter the school. But of course also classical Greek authors, whom we must learn in a more compact way”. The new books will enter the classrooms towards the end of the school year
At the same time, the Minister of Education announced that “we will also invest in school libraries». “It is very important to make a policy for these libraries and see how we can also get new, more modern books. And a policy of borrowing, reading, literary contests. We want children to love the book. It will change their lives.”
On September 16th, the Digital Tutorial begins
Regarding the Digital TutorialKyriakos Pierrakakis noted that on September 16, a part concerning the 3rd Lyceum begins, “but all the rest, for all the other classes will take some time to complete. To have all the material we want until the end of 2025”.
“I acknowledge the existence of the tutoring school, we as a state must deal with the problem that exists as much as we can, which is that the Greek family burdens their family budget to help their children by sending them to a tutoring school. So there’s that. No minister of education and no government can pretend that this does not exist. It’s there.” For this, “we will start with a digital tutorial which will be live. A student must register. They will sign up freely, it’s free. Obviously it will be live for all nationally examined subjects.’
Kyriakos Pierrakakis explained that “on the first day we will have our teachers, who will do these lessons. In the possibility of questions will also be added along the waywhich will be grouped in a systematic way”. The Digital School will be a “tool for reducing inequalities”.
Changes in courses
“This year we have a new digital IT book” in the High School, the minister emphasized when asked about the reformation of the Informatics course. For us it school is a triangle: Algorithmic thinking, imagination – this is where Literature comes into play – and volunteeringthe minister emphasized.
About it Political Economy coursethe Minister of Education indicated that he would join the next school year in the 1st Lyceum. “We want there to be a tool that certifies the knowledge of IT in schools for a student finishing high school. And I think it will be very important for any career because it will certify a way of thinking. Not a specific job skill necessarily. But a way of thinking that can lead you to this skill, if you want it.”
About it higher education admissions systemKyriakos Pierrakakis pointed out that “a dialogue must be opened. The National Baccalaureate is something we are looking into, but as the national exams are established as an immutable system, that is the term I will use. It has been established that it is guaranteed that the one who actually wrote the best gets into a university. We must keep his character intact. But from here on out we have to strengthen the Lyceum as well, because it is clear that it has weakened in favor of nationwide exams. So we must be able to restore this balance.”
Non-state universities start in September 2025
The non-state universities will start operations in September 2025pointed out Kyriakos Pierrakakis. “We must achieve the best possible educational outcomes, not be fearful, not afraid to open our doors, not afraid to let the flowers bloom, as the well-known saying goes. Greece must not be afraid to open up. There is a fear in this discussion that I personally fundamentally do not understand. We can do miracles if we are not afraid.”
Regarding the support measures for them substitute teachers in tourist destinations and in remote areasKyriakos Pierrakakis said, among other things: “I am sorry that the problem is being instrumentalized by factions that ruled and that could not solve it. I will tell you that because the local government has many tools in its hands, there are specific things that the law provides that a talented mayor can do. I have seen mayors and I and Mr. Livanios talk with mayors who are doing very important things to help teachers. I don’t understand that a mayor can’t five teachers help them find a house. It is in the interest of the community.”
About the EPALthe minister spoke of High School campus typewith modern equipment in their laboratories. While announcing that the goal is to establish 10 -15 this year“we want around 60 in total. I believe that this should be done with the absolute cooperation of the private sector. Either of the social partners and the businesses themselves”.
«If we want this country to progress, Education is the sector that will determine its statusKyriakos Pierrakakis emphasized at the end of the interview.
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