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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-05-13Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] KKE leader criticises gov't over education, state of social securityANA/MPA -- The implementation of the "dogma of 'law and order' to secondary education teachers before they even start striking is the pinnacle of authoritarianism," Communist Party of Greece (KKE) secretary general Dimitris Koutsoumbas said on Monday during an address to social security funds employees, putting the blame on the government for the prevailing conditions in education.Koutsoumbas said that KKE has noted that the unions' movement follows its own procedures, in which the state has no right to intervene. He added that the movement has the power to select whatever means of struggle it wants in order to safeguard the massive and unified action. He also referred to proposals the KKE-affiliated labour organisation PAME had made to the high school teachers' union, OLME, that aimed to safeguard their the struggle from petty politics and opportunism. He added that the focus of the debate should be the substance of education, and called for participation in PAME's rallies in Athens and throughout Greece. Referring to the state and future of the social security system, Koutsoumbas said it is "at a danger point" and underlined that the attack against social security has not been completed but will intensify in the next period under the pretext of the "social security funds' viability". He said an alarm should be sounded about the issue and underlined that the KKE will do whatever possible in Parliament and at the labour-popular movement level. Social security is not only a pension issue, he warned, but refers to present social needs overall. As wealth is produced by labourers, it is to that segment of society it should be returned, he said. [02] Exams 'will go ahead' as teachers get civil mobilisation papersANA-MPA/ The national examinations for university entrance for high school students, starting on May 17, will "go ahead normally and on time," government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said Monday, referring to the ongoing controversy between teachers and the government.His comments came as the government started handing out civil mobilisation papers to about 85,000 teachers, in force as of Wednesday, May 15. The threat to strike "threatens the most sensitive segment of society, the 100,000 students that are sitting for their first and most important exams of their lives," Kedikoglou told private radio Vima station. "Who are these teachers, who, at the most critical educational moment choose to see how much more they can gain?" he added. "The examinations will be carried out normally and on time. We did whatever we could and we hope the tension de-escalates so we can sit down and see the real issues in education: Are we proud of the quality of education we are offering our children? Of the language they speak? The history they know? I think the Greek we were learning in our generation in school were better than what children are being taught today," he added. The high school teachers' main union (OLME), meanwhile, are planning to resort to the Council of State, requesting that the order for civil mobilisation the government has ordered as of Monday (today). They are also calling on the umbrella unions of ADEDY (civil servants) and GSEE (private sector) to call a strike for the first scheduled day of examinations, on Friday, May 17, to protest "the government's authoritarianism and transgression of the constitutionally-guaranteed right to strike.' OLME has planned a protest rally for 7:00 p.m. on Monday outside the federation's offices in central Athens. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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