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Yesterday, with 9 vs. 2 votes, unionists of the Federation of Employees in Secondary Education decided to take action on the first day of matriculations. In response, the government took a decision yesterday afternoon for the mobilisation of teachers on Monday, driven by the social need.

This choice, which was announced a few days ago, when the Management Board of the union demanded that such actions be taken, was finally made after the meeting of the Prime Minister with the Education Minister yesterday at noon. Samaras noted the need for the immediate announcement of the mobilisation decision, despite the fact that, by that time, there was still no decision by the syndicate. According to the Prime Minister, he could not risk and anticipate the decision of teachers on 15 May, i.e. 48 hours before the official start of the school-leaving examinations. After that, Samaras asked Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Takis Baltakos whether it was possible to have a legal decision for the mobilisation before the decision for a strike. Baltakos confirmed that this was possible, bearing in mind the public need. Samaras then gave an order to Minister Arvanitopoulos to prepare the decision. He said that the right of young people to participate in the first crucial exam in life in a relaxed environment was sacred. According to him, the decision of the teachers’ union to go on strike during matriculations will create tension in the sector and cause unjustified problems for thousands of families and take students and teachers hostage. Arvanitopoulos said that the government was required to ensure a proper environment for the conduct of school-leaving examinations.

Picture: www.ethnos.gr

"I believe that this is the best time for teachers in order for them to bring pressure with their demands, but it is unfair for us who have been preparing for a year and, just before the exams, we are afraid because of yet another reason - when matriculations will start," said for Ethnos newspaper Fotini from the 4th Lyceum of Ilioupoli. She added that she hoped that teachers would not go on strike and that they would present their demands some other time.

The same opinion is shared by Effie Papadimitropoulou, a schoolgirl of the 30th Lyceum in Athens: "I understand the decision of teachers to go on strike, but I think that they have chosen the wrong time. With this strike they will not harm the strong - in this case, the government, but students. I think that students and parents will stand against them if they insist on striking during matriculations."

Student Themis Yalamas is also concerned: "It is unfair that, a week before the exams, we do not know when or whether they will take place. I believe that teachers should have chosen some other time. With this strike, they are making our life difficult."

In a statement to Ethnos newspaper, Chairman of the Federation of parents of Greek students Vassilis Toyas opposed the strike during matriculations, because it would cause degeneration of the strike itself and put a weapon into the hands of the government in order to mobilise teachers. He explained that the Federation did not stand against teachers. Maria Deli, Chairwoman of the Parents’ Association in Piraeus said that children have the right to sit exams. At such times, their life is being decided and teachers should be very careful.

In response to the decision of unions to go on strike during matriculations, the Ministry of Education said that in the case that even one union goes on strike, this will lead to the cancellation of matriculations across the country. The Ministry noted that exams would not be delayed even for a day and all measures would be taken in order for these to be carried out calmly, even if mobilisation would be required.

Yesterday, with 9 vs. 2 votes, unionists decided to go on 24 hours’ strike on the first day of matriculations – 17 May, as well as five more days from 20 May to 24 May. Next Tuesday, local meetings of trade unions will be organised in order to decide on the strike. On the following day, representatives of all organisations will take a final decision.

We are starting a big strike, teachers said. Chairman of the union Nikos Papachristos said that he would seek another meeting with the Minister of Education and stressed that "teachers are responding to the government’s decision for compulsive transfers of thousands of permanent teachers and the dismissal of 10,000 temporary ones," adding that if the government withdrew the order, they would make concessions, too. Commenting on the agony of students, Papachristos said that teachers were in a very bad psychological state, forced to take such a decision and the decision of the government for the mobilisation was a complete decline.

Meanwhile, New Democracy excluded from its ranks Nikos Papachristos, who was also secretary of the party. The party said that the decision of unions to go on strike was anti-social.

Private teachers denounced the strike during matriculations, after the Minister of Education promised to fulfil their basic demands at a meeting with them.

SYRIZA supported teachers’ demands and transferred the responsibility for the strike during matriculations to the government. However, after several days of hesitation, the party is not stating clearly whether it will support the strike during the national matriculations. SYRIZA urged the government to promise not to lay off any teachers and close schools. According to the party, the government is holding hostage the whole of society, in order for it to be able to use the arrangements under the Memorandum for the destruction of public education.