Changes pledged as classes begin
As schoolchildren returned to their desks yesterday for the start of the academic year, politicians added to their long list of election promises by pledging more changes to the education system. Education Minister Marietta Giannakou said that talks on improving the university exam system will start after Sunday’s national elections. Since being elected in March 2004, the conservatives have implemented a number of reforms to the tertiary system, such as tightening university entry requirements, in a bid to make the sector more efficient and competitive internationally. On the other hand, PASOK’s Michalis Chrysochoidis said yesterday that if the Socialists win, then talks will be initially launched on changes to tertiary institutions and compulsory education. «At this moment, we are not examining changes to the exam system,» he told Kathimerini. Among the other issues that need to be addressed in the sector are 4,000 teaching positions which have yet to be filled at primary schools and preparing the right facilities for preschool education after it was recently made compulsory. Meanwhile, in the fire-ravaged prefecture of Ileia, officials said that schools will open on Tuesday after initially deciding to keep them shut due to safety fears.
