Tertiary student transfers from one institution to another for the 2013-2014 academic year have been deemed unconstitutional by the Council of State, meaning that transferred students must return to their original school. Meanwhile the Education Minister has declared changes in university entry exams. Again. This means that the education system in Greece is, once more, a work in progress. The phrase “our students have become the guinea pigs of every Education Minister” is heard again these days. It must be a prerequisite for every new Education Minister taking office, along with the oath, to pledge to change everything his predecessors have done. There is no other explanation. On Monday, the Education Ministry announced new procedures for high school students entering universities. Senior high school students will have fewer subjects to be tested on and more choices and electives. The new system will have students choosing between three groups of studies: Humanities, Sciences and Economics. It will be implemented in the 2015-2016 school year, transitionally. More changes are expected as the new government is in the process of creating new curricula and books. Perhaps the changes are good for high school students. One day after sworn in office, Deputy Education Minister Tasos Kourakis declared major changes for the benefit of students. One of the first things new Education Minister Aristidis Baltas stated was that he was thinking of abolishing experimental schools and educational institutions for exceptional students. Thankfully, he retracted after the teachers’ outcry. It was an effort to leave his mark in Greek education history. The new Education Ministry has another hot potato to handle; university buildings’ occupations. It is a recurring theme in the educational system where the occupation and vandalism of a school building is an acceptable form of protest. So far, the Ministry has done nothing about it, while at the same time refusing to throw the ball in the court of the Citizens’ Protection Ministry. The latter proceeded with doing the Greek thing: Throw the ball to the Justice Ministry’s court. Nevertheless, the Education Ministry chose the “democratic” way of handling the delicate issue of university building security, meaning let protesters do what they want since universities should be open for the “free circulation of ideas.” Perhaps the new entry exams system will indeed be for the benefit of education and less burdensome to students. Perhaps the decision to allow transfers only to tertiary students who have serious financial or health problems is more fair. Perhaps the new Minister and Deputy have the best of intentions, excellent ideas and the means to implement them. Baltas is the 23rd Education Minister in the 41 years since democracy was restored in Greece. Two of the 22 previous ones served twice. In other words, statistically, each Education Minister stays in office 1.64 years. Which means he has plenty of time for more changes. However, his statements so far are mainly for show and his actions more or less arbitrary and with no actual results. Because Mr. Baltas, like all cabinet members, have the obsession to make everything that pertains to their office more “democratic.” Whatever that means.
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