260+ academic departments occupied

greece / turkey / cyprus | education | press release Thursday June 08, 2006 11:45 by French students in solidarity

Students in Greece React to the Proposed Education Law Changes

The Conservative government is now attempting to push forward crucial changes in the functioning and role of the country’s Higher Education institutions.

Certain clauses in the Greek Constitution (stating, among others, that education has to be public and free for all and that no police forces are allowed to enter university grounds) have made the enforcement of a neo-liberal agenda to the country’s higher education institutions particularly difficult.

However, the Conservative government is now attempting to push forward crucial changes in the functioning and role of the country’s Higher Education institutions. A so-called «committee of experts», appointed by the government itself, has released a list of proposed changes, which include:

De-registration of students after (X times 1,5) years - where X is the minimum number of years required for completion of their course (now unlimited)

Limiting the number of times allowed to sit for a module to four (now unlimited)

Allowing for easier police access to university grounds, the long-term aim being the complete erasure of campus sanction (to date, police are not allowed to enter university property unless specifically instructed to do so by the university’s «asylum committee», with the latter’s decision-making process being rather complex)

To end the free distribution of academic books to students (since the Constitution states education has to be free for all, universities have to provide required readings to their students free of charge)

To end student transfers

(To date, students meeting certain economic, social and/or health criteria can apply for a transfer to the academic department closest to their area of residence)

To introduce managerial positions in the universities (To date, all administrative decisions fall under the juridistiction of academic staff)

The above have been incorporated into a law proposal which, according to media reports, will be brought forward by the government and the Education Ministry in July. Another crucial point of the proposed law includes the editing of Article 16 of the Constitution (stating all education should be public and free for all) in order to allow for the foundation of Private Universities in the country.

These proposals have caused turmoil across the country’s higher education institutions. To date (3d of June), at least 182 University Departmens and 60 Technological Institution Departments are occupied by their students, the number growing continuously. Student demonstrations have been taking place in major cities accross the country

Note: In June 2nd the educational section of the Greek Embassy in Paris occupied in solidarity with the Greek Students.