Holidays trimmed to make up classes
The Education Ministry is likely to extend the school year by a week and cut school trips in order to compensate for class time lost during the six-week strike of primary school teachers, sources said yesterday. Since the strike ended late last month, teachers and ministry officials have been examining how to make up a maximum of 27 days of teaching time lost during the action. Other measures expected to be included in the final announcement – to be made public today – include holding classes during portions of the Easter or Christmas break. The approved measures will only serve as a guide, since the number of classes missed varies depending on the protest action taken by teachers. Primary and preschool teachers went on strike in an attempt to secure a 45-percent pay hike to starting salaries. Meanwhile, police, university staff and students are on standby for outbursts of violence from anarchist groups in the days leading up to the anniversary of the November 17, 1973, Athens Polytechnic student uprising against the military dictatorship. Public Order Minister Vyron Polydoras met with deans from some of the larger universities yesterday and asked students to help guard campuses against anarchists since police cannot enter school grounds. Greek law forbids police from entering campuses as a means of safeguarding free thought.
