The Corfu ELME (Secondary Education Teachers’ Association) has released a scathing statement, exposing what it describes as administrative chaos and political reversals concerning the proposed transformation of two local schools into ‘experimental’ institutions. This decision, made by the Ministry of Education following a proposal from the local education administration, has ignited a firestorm of reactions, leading to accusations and misleading statements from regional education officials.
Administrative Blame Game and Misleading Statements
According to ELME Corfu, the Regional Director of Education and the Director of Secondary Education are engaged in a blame game, attempting to deflect responsibility for the downgrading of education in Corfu. This situation, though farcical, has serious implications for the lives and education of hundreds of students, the distress of their parents, and the employment rights of educators.
ELME Corfu dismisses as ‘ridiculous and theatrical’ the joint attack by both officials, who, lacking substantive arguments, accuse the association of orchestrating a misleading campaign among parents, associations, unions, and even the entire Ionian Islands Regional Council. This accusation, ELME states, insults all involved parties and requires no further comment.
Contradictory Narratives and ‘Higher Mathematics’
ELME highlights the contradictory statements made by the education officials. On the same day the Regional Director claimed the proposal to close specific schools originated from the Director of Secondary Education, the latter issued a press release asserting that the ‘thorough study’ was not her work but the Regional Director’s, which she merely ‘adopted.’ This exchange, ELME argues, is a transparent attempt to pass the buck and once again deceive the Corfu community.
Both officials employed ‘higher mathematical predictive models’ to reassure parents. The Regional Director guaranteed that no student would be expelled from their local schools, while the Director of Secondary Education contradicted this, admitting that some students might ‘find themselves unable to enroll’ and suggesting they attend a school 2 kilometers away, a ’10-minute walk.’ However, ELME points out that current legislation mandates a public electronic lottery for admission to experimental schools, meaning neither official can guarantee that local students will be able to attend the schools they proposed to abolish. This ‘peculiar statistical’ claim, that neighborhood students are always drawn in the lottery, forces parents to ‘gamble’ with their children’s future based on the officials’ ‘predictions.’
Even on the number of students per class, the officials disagree, with the Regional Director mentioning 22 or 23, while the Director of Secondary Education states 20 in her press release.
Disregard for Educators’ Rights and Experience
The same dismissive and demeaning attitude is extended to educators. Regarding the permanent positions of teachers in the schools slated for abolition, the Regional Director stated that teachers ‘would not lose their positions,’ while the Director of Secondary Education publicly declared that ‘no one would lose a permanent position’ and referred to a ‘safe continuation of educational service’ in her press release. However, ELME cites law 4692/2020, which clearly states that ‘teachers permanently assigned to a school designated as an Experimental School cease to be permanently assigned to it on August 31 preceding the school year of its operation.’
ELME points to the example of the 4th Primary School, whose conversion to an experimental school led to significant teacher shortages at the beginning of each academic year and its operation with different substitute and newly appointed teachers annually, effectively dismantling the school’s educational ecosystem.
The Director’s claim that ‘updates have already been sent by the DEPP.S for information and online communication of those involved with the care of the Director of Secondary Education and the timely information of teachers and parents/guardians’ is deemed ‘a joke’ by ELME. They note that even the official gazette of the decision has not been sent to the 4th General Lyceum, and the Director of Secondary Education did not even bother to inform and speak with the colleagues from both schools whose permanent positions she is abolishing.
Lack of Transparency and Public Consultation
ELME also expresses surprise at the Director’s reference to a letter from the Director of the 7th Gymnasium concerning the absence of a building permit as a ‘significant parameter’ in the school’s selection, claiming this proves there were no ‘underground efforts’ or ‘secret decisions.’ ELME asserts that the 7th Gymnasium’s Association, including its Director, publicly refused the school’s conversion to experimental and requested the decision’s recall, as they had done twice before.
The ‘underground efforts’ and ‘secret decisions’ for the closure of the two schools are unequivocally confirmed, according to ELME, by the Director’s own statements. She admitted that the only ‘consultation’ took place between herself and the Regional Director of Education, publicly acknowledging that no discussion or even information was shared with stakeholders, unions, associations, educators, or the local community. This was their decision, made ‘behind closed doors,’ because they were aware of the devastating consequences such a decision would have for the entire Corfu society, as well as the reasonable and expected reactions from students, parents, and educators.
The invocation of the ‘Kerameos law,’ which does not oblige them to consult, is disingenuous because while it does not mandate consultation, it also does not prohibit it.
Consequences of Political Decisions and Neglect
The aforementioned reversals and conflicts among administration officials are a result of pressure and reaction from the Corfu community, forcing them into contradictions and to blame each other for decisions that will further deteriorate the public education system. At a time when school buildings are left to decay, and students, even preschoolers, are taught in containers, and classes are overcrowded, few genuinely believe that closing two schools and converting them into ‘experimental’ ones is because the Ministry and its local representatives truly care about Public Education.
Based on all of the above, ELME concludes that it is a conscious political decision to systematically devalue public schools. Simultaneously, by capitalizing on parental anxiety about their children’s future, they are creating a series of different categories of schools (experimental, model, Onassis, IB, etc.) with differentiated curricula (for the ‘elite’ and the ‘plebs’) and differentiated funding (private, sponsorships, etc.). This aims to break the unified character of education and to ‘market’ themselves as ‘innovative reformers’ who care about public education.
This ‘categorization’ policy, which they attempt to ‘beautify’ with empty rhetoric about ‘innovative and good practices,’ is supported not by arguments but by ‘discovering’ enemies among teacher and parent unions. For its implementation, they have no problem closing neighborhood schools and uttering ‘ridiculous and provocative’ arguments for the entire Corfu society, such as that a 2-kilometer walk for twelve-year-old children in cold and rain, on flooded roads without sidewalks and with five-kilogram backpacks, is a ‘ten-minute morning stroll’ that will benefit their health and well-being and solve traffic problems.
ELME emphasizes that no decision is irreversible, and no ‘die has been cast,’ contrary to the Director’s attempts to quell the efforts and resistance of parents, students, and educators. In democracies, however, the dice are cast by the people, and citizens, residents, and societies as a whole decide. The publication of an administrative act in the official gazette can be withdrawn in the same fast-track manner it was issued, as has happened many times in the past.
WE CONTINUE THE FIGHT AGAINST THE CATEGORIZATION OF SCHOOLS UNTIL THE END!
Source: https://www.startmediacorfu.gr/elme-dioikitiko-chaos-kai-politikes-palinodies-gia-ta-peiramatika-scholeia-i-kerkyra-apanta-ston-aftarchismo-kai-stin-katigoriopoiisi-ton-scholeion/
