Teachers to protest over reforms, minister defends proposal

Teachers on Wednesday said they would be going ahead with Thursday’s planned protest outside the presidential palace over the education ministry’s new proposal on teacher appointment reforms, which minister Athena Michaelidou defended, saying they were fair and balanced. Oelmek chairman Constantinos Constantinou said the updated proposal included modifications to some points, however the teachers continued to disagree on fundamental issues. The problem, Constantinou said, was the prospect of permanent employment for those on indefinite terms and contracts, who would be incorporated in a new closed registry. The education minister, on the other hand, said that as far as her ministry was concerned there was no deadlock. The issue, Michaelidou said, was at the stage of debate. “We had promised we would listen to everyone,” she said, speaking after a meeting with Disy president Annita Demetriou. “We delivered our updated proposal yesterday [Tuesday] and gave a week for the teachers’ organisations to comment in writing,” she added. “I cannot know why they are dismissing the updated proposal as well. What I want to stress is that our proposal is fair and balanced, it takes into consideration the people who have been working at the schools […] and those who have just passed the exam,” she said. Michaelidou explained that the updated proposal provides for half of the new teachers to be appointed from the closed registry and half from the list of those eligible to be appointed. The unions, she added, “appear not to want the 50:50 arrangement”. “They possibly want an exclusivity in appointments for their members. And also what they were demanding and we all understand this is automatic permanency, which does not happen in the broader public sector. So, the proper course of things should be to discuss their views and proposals submitted in writing next week, so that we can formulate a final proposal, which will be sent for legislative inspection and then to parliament, instead of further protests,” Michaelidou pointed out. She also said the teachers had “decided on their protest before even seeing the updated proposal”. In a statement issued after the meeting, Disy said it remained in favour of dialogue so that there could be a smooth transition to the new system. “Reforms should first and foremost serve our children and the upgrading of education in our country. Even at the last minute, we stand ready to contribute to finding the right and sustainable solutions,” Disy added.