Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis has issued a stark warning to educators, stating that those who refuse to undergo evaluation should not be part of Greece's education system. This remark followed his visit to the Ministry of Education.

“If someone fundamentally refuses to be evaluated, they should have no place in the education system,” Mitsotakis declared. He went on to suggest that teachers opposing evaluation might face dismissal.

“We discussed the progress of the teacher evaluation process, and I believe we need to be honest here – it’s a new procedure, and it hasn’t yet delivered the expected results,” he added.

Mitsotakis was particularly clear when addressing those educators who reject the very idea of evaluation.

“Our position is crystal clear, and the direction I’ve given to the ministry is equally clear: if someone fundamentally refuses to be evaluated, they should not have a position in the public education system,” he said.

The PM also took the opportunity to highlight some of the advancements in the education sector.

“The situation in our schools has improved. Since 2019, we’ve added 39,000 permanent teachers, integrated English into kindergarten curricula, and made technological upgrades with 36,000 interactive whiteboards and robotics kits. These developments make schools more engaging, creative, and interactive,” he stated.

He further claimed that there has been significant progress in diversifying the types of schools available, citing the establishment of experimental and “Onassis” public schools, as well as the “Marietta Giannakou” programme for the renovation of schools, with the first projects set to be completed by September.

“I am pleased to hear that proposals from the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) are being considered to reduce the curriculum, focusing on quality rather than quantity,” Mitsotakis concluded.

Opposition party SYRIZA reacts to Mitsotakis’ visit: “He should be ashamed of the state of education, not make victory statements”

SYRIZA, Greece’s left-wing opposition party, strongly criticised Mitsotakis’ remarks.

“He should be ashamed, not making victory statements. Mr Mitsotakis continues with his meaningless visits to ministries, making announcements that demonstrate he has no coherent plan to support key pillars of the state such as education and healthcare, apart from serving private interests,” the party stated.

They pointed out several areas where the government has failed, including the lack of support for public schools, the issue of school infrastructure, the unresolved staffing shortages in schools, and the barriers imposed by the Special Admission Threshold for university entrance, which leaves thousands of students without access to higher education and results in vacant places at public universities. SYRIZA also criticised the failure of the government’s evaluation system, the patronage in the public school system, and the disciplinary harassment of over 2,000 teachers.

“They didn’t say a word about these issues because these are their political choices,” SYRIZA concluded.

KKE: “The PM deserves full marks in the subject of mythology”

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) also reacted harshly to the Prime Minister’s statements. “The PM could indeed be evaluated with top marks in the subject of Mythology, as he claimed to see a ‘better’ image in schools thanks to the introduction of ‘robotics kits’ and ‘interactive whiteboards’… Meanwhile, thousands of substitute teachers are forced to renew their contracts year after year to fill gaps even in the middle of the school year,” the KKE’s Press Office stated.

They also noted that the vast majority of schools continue to face serious infrastructure problems, with only 5% of them set to be included in building renovation programmes. The party further criticised the government for promoting a “two-speed” education system, where access to education is framed as an “opportunity,” pointing to the introduction of “Onassis schools” and the controversial proposal to have students choose their career paths at just 15 years old.

“The government of New Democracy is clearly threatened by the efforts of educators, parents, and students who are fighting for a qualitatively upgraded, free, and public education system. This is the fundamental stance that teachers, parents, and students defend. And that’s why they reject the anti-educational criteria of the ‘evaluation’ process, which measures educational work by the reactionary standards of seeking sponsors,” the KKE concluded.

Finally, the KKE pointed out that the government’s narratives in education, both in schools and universities, have been continuously disproven.

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