Once more, education is falling prey to political and partisan expediencies. Before the latest law for the universities could be tested out in practice, the new Minister of Education comes along to knock it down, while changing the university entry system. Without a basic coordination or debate, a reform that for decades has aimed to address a problematic situation is being overthrown. Instead of seeking solutions and improvements, the Minister of Education essentially announced a return to the past.
The University Councils are being abolished, students will vote for Rectors, the academic asylum is changing again and the “eternal students” are returning. Three decades or so after unionism was introduced in higher education, which established a state of populism and transaction that belittles the operation of the universities, we are returning back to the same model.
Instead of observing the developments, instead of being taught by how top institutions operate abroad, we return to the same old situation, which has undermined meritocracy and the education process itself. These are situations which the great majority of the academic society has condemned and rejected, only of Mr. Baltas to come along and enforce them by law.
Only a days ago about 1,000 academics from all over Greece and abroad had requested for the Councils and new management to not be abolished, until their operation can be assessed. Mr. Baltas ignored them and decided to adopt the opinions of a section of the union bodies of students and administrative staff.
At a time when everyone knows – and given the situation the country is in – that the greatest investment are its production capacity, knowledge and education, the government is overturning any attempt to rationalize education. It is ignoring 30 years of experience in the operation and management of universities and restores a problematic model, in order to serve political consideration. Only that way we are not moving forwards, but rather we are taking steps back…
TO VIMA
