On September 19, a mass mobilization took place at the Directorate of Secondary Education (DIDE) of Piraeus, with the participation of dozens of teachers and Parents' Associations from various schools in the area. The initiative was organised by the ELME of Piraeus, in order to react to the abolition of dozens of departments in secondary schools and general high schools (GEL) in the region.
The demonstrators condemned the decisions of the Piraeus Department of Education, which, on the instructions of the Ministry of Education and the Regional Directorate of Education, led to the compression of classes, increasing the number of students per class to 26 and 27. Parents and teachers from schools such as the 2nd Gymnasium of Kallipolis, the 1st High School of Drapetsona and the 3rd High School of Salamina participated in the mobilization.
During the mobilization, a delegation met with the Director of the Secondary Education of Piraeus, Mr. Anastasopoulos, who admitted that the decision to abolish departments was dictated by higher administrative orders. He said that although there was originally a plan to cut 108 departments, 26 were eventually cut. In addition, he pledged to review some eliminations where the law was violated, particularly in schools with serious infrastructure problems or where there were opinions on special educational needs of students.
Problems in the schools of Kythera
Special reference was made to the problems of the schools of Kythera, where the situation is even more difficult. In the General Lyceum of Kythera, there is a crush of students, with 30 students in the first grade and 27 students in the second grade, four of whom have expert opinions. These conditions go beyond the limits of the legislation, while the Piraeus DIDE has proceeded to consolidate sections, despite the opposition of teachers and parents.
In addition, there were compulsory transfers of teachers from the Lyceum to the Kythera High School, resulting in teachers who teach examinable subjects for the Panhellenic exams being moved, creating gaps in the classrooms. This practice, combined with the imposition of overtime on already overburdened teachers, causes further problems.
Reactions and claims
The ELME of Piraeus and the parents demand the immediate filling of the vacancies in the schools and the withdrawal of the compression of departments. They stress that the policy of “patching” of the Ministry of Education downgrades the quality of education and demand the creation of new departments where necessary.
After the pressure, the Director of the Piraeus School of Education committed to re-examine the issue of overtime and to proceed to recruit teachers in the second phase of recruitment of substitutes, in order to fill the gaps and to establish two new departments at the Kythera High School.
The ELME of Piraeus calls for the continuation of the militant mobilisations, with the next meeting scheduled for Sunday 22 September. Teachers and parents are joining forces to ensure that students have access to quality and equal education.
The following are the press releases of the ELME of Piraeus
