Greece’s education ministry on Friday denied same-day press reports claiming that representatives of the country’s institutional creditors demanded a revocation of recent legislation extending increased job security to educators in the private sector.
A press release by the ministry stated that the reports were absolutely untrue, while pointing to what it called the “well-known vested interests in the private education sector” as behind the reports.
Representatives of institutional creditors, now known as the “quartet” after being upgraded from the previous “troika”, met with Greek Education Minister Nikos Filis this past week, part of contacts with nearly half of the country’s top Cabinet members.
The recent changes prevent private schools from firing or laying off teachers unless there are “justifiable reasons”, extending a more tenure-like status to the sector, one enjoyed by educators in the public sector.
The legal changes for the specific professional caste drew howls of protest from private school owners, parents’ groups and the political opposition, which accused the leftist government of extending tenure to the specific professional group in a bid to further control private education in the country.
The ministry’s announcement ended by stressing that the new law will be enforced.
