Controversial education bill goes to Parliament
Greek state school teachers cheat slogans during a protest outside the Greek parliament in central Athens, on Tuesday. Unions among others oppose government plans to allow remote teaching with use of a camera that will show the blackboard as part of the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
A controversial bill foreseeing an overhaul of the state education system, with evaluation for teachers and schools, more school hours for foreign languages and information technology and English lessons in kindergarten was submitted to Parliament’s plenary session Tuesday ahead of a vote expected Wednesday.
Launching a debate on the bill Tuesday, Education Minister Niki Kerameus said the government aimed to “build a school for critical thought and alertness, for constant self-improvement, which teaches knowledge and moral standards, which molds free and responsible citizens.”
But teachers’ unions held a protest in Athens Tuesday, condemning the reforms as “anti-education,” and are planning another rally Wednesday ahead of the vote. The unions also object to the use of cameras to broadcast classes online as part of distance learning during the pandemic, saying that the measure is a violation of privacy.
