DESPITE PARENTS AND STUDENTS 'REACTIONS AND OBJECTIONS
The amendment with which it is foreseen that from now on the students will celebrate the anniversary of the Union Referendum in the schools, caused a strong reaction of AKEL, caused a sensation yesterday.
The Pancyprian Confederation of Parents of Secondary Education states that it continues to maintain its concerns and disagreements with the four-month exams and the way the Pancyprian Examinations are conducted and states that if these proposals fail, they will not bear any responsibility as parents.
Ignoring the concerns of the organized parents but also of the students (the main component of the reform), the Parliament proceeded yesterday, after an intense discussion, in the voting of the bills that are part of the educational reform. The two bills concern the change of the Operating Regulations of the Secondary Schools and the separation of the examinations into four months (application in the school year 2018-2019 for A 'and B' Lyceum and 2019-2020 for C 'Lyceum), as well as the separation of Pancyprian Examinations in examinations for the purpose of dismissal and in examinations for the purpose of access to the Higher and Higher Education Institutions of Cyprus and Greece (the separation of the Pancyprian will be implemented from September 1, 2019).
34 deputies were in favor of the changes in the regulations and 17 deputies were in favor, while 37 deputies were in favor of the changes in the Examinations and there were 16 abstentions.
However, from the whole process, what made sense is the fact that an amendment was adopted, as the anniversary of the Union Referendum of 1950 is celebrated in schools, provoking the reaction of AKEL. The party MP Eleni Mavrou wrote on twitter: "In this year 2017 our schools will celebrate the anniversary of the Union Referendum of 1950!", While the AKEL Spokesman, Stefanos Stefanou, from the same medium, stressed: "DISY is between union and solution. "Schizophrenia in politics."
Student memo
Prior to yesterday's plenary session of the Parliament, a delegation of the Pancyprian Student Coordinating Committee (PSEM) had a meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, Dimitris Syllouris, in which he presented a resolution, through which he asked, among other things, the deputies to reject the laws. . In the resolution, the Commission states that "as PSEM from the very beginning we have set our views and disagreement in the effort of the Ministry of Education and Culture to overturn any effort made in previous years for a humane and democratic school and to lead the public school for decades back.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that our school will be led years back, since through the regulations a conservative and authoritarian turn is taking place.
From the beginning of December, our classmates through the General Assemblies of the schools raised the refusal to increase the competitions and the implementation of examinations every four months.
This measure will clearly increase the number of exams in the public school ", she adds, while expressing her disagreement with the reduction of the number of absences, the non-participation of the Central Student Council in the formulation of school regulations, as well as the abolition of the right to a student to participate in the events of PSEM.
What did PSEM ask for before the vote?
According to PSEM, "all the above issues were raised with the Minister of Education in a meeting held between PSEM and the Minister of Education on November 11, 2016. At the same time, PSEM held a Referendum for the first time with the participation of 13.500 of our classmates, while General Assemblies of students were held in almost all Lyceums and Technical Schools, where all the above issues were raised by our classmates.
The answer of the Ministry was that the examinations will be implemented and the decision of the Ministry does not change.
The student movement has demonstrated its maturity and intention through dialogue for change in Public Education. The state's refusal to discuss left us no choice but to react dynamically, both with the Pancyprian Protest outside the House of Representatives and with last week's five-hour abstention. As PSEM:
1. We call on the political parties, even at the last minute, to think twice.
2. To vote against the bill that kills a human and democratic Education.
3. Let them really care about their children, the citizens of tomorrow and not condemn the next generations with their vote.
4. We want a humane and democratic school, which educates us in all aspects, to give us the stimuli to be critically thinking citizens and not parrots to be graded ", concludes PSEM.
The parents wash their hands
For their part, the organized parents, with their announcement after the passing of the bills, wash their hands of what was voted, emphasizing that they will not have any responsibility for their failure. In a statement, the Pancyprian Confederation of Parents of Secondary Education states that it continues to maintain its concerns and disagreements with the four-month exams and the way the Pancyprian Examinations are conducted and states that if these proposals fail, they will not bear any responsibility as parents.
At the same time, they welcome the fact that an effort will be made to introduce amendments that improve the proposal. "These amendments alleviate some of the concerns of parents.
"We consider positive the institutionalization within the Regulations of the Special Committee that will monitor the Proposal", it is stated.
"As Organized Parents, we have expended all our efforts to improve the Proposals. We have a clear conscience that we have done and continue to do what is possible for the good of our children. Any failure of the Proposals, as Parents we will not bear any responsibility. We declare our determination and readiness to monitor the preparation for the implementation of the Proposal and through our participation in the Special Committee, to work with our partners to improve them. "The only concern of the parents is our children, their future and the future of the public school", they conclude.
Source: Sigma Live