Part of the ceiling in a classroom at the 1st Primary School of Filiatra collapsed on Wednesday, 30 April. Fortunately, no one was injured – only by chance. Commenting on the incident via social media, the president of the Greek Federation of Teachers, Spyros Marinis, criticised the government, saying: “This is what daily ‘evaluation’ looks like under government policy.”

Mr Marinis posted a photo showing the fallen ceiling, with visible signs of damage and long-term neglect. He described the event as “yet another serious classroom collapse, putting our pupils’ lives at risk,” and called out the broader issue: “The state of disrepair in school buildings and the cost-cutting mindset when it comes to essential maintenance and safety is not just dangerous – it’s criminal.”

He continued: “This is the kind of ‘evaluation’ that happens daily under this government’s approach. These are the serious issues the government and the Ministry of Education try to cover up, all while targeting teachers who are fighting for a modern, safe, public, and free education system – one that nurtures rather than wears down our children.”

 

Mitsotakis: “conditions in our schools have improved”

Mr Marinis also referred to the government’s continued threats towards teachers who oppose its strict “evaluation” policies. His remarks come just days after PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis claimed on 25 April that “conditions in our schools have improved.”

The Prime Minister highlighted government efforts since 2019, saying: “We’ve hired 39,000 permanent teachers, introduced English into nursery school, and upgraded technology with 36,000 interactive whiteboards and robotics kits, making school more engaging, creative, and interactive.”

He also reiterated his criticism of teachers opposing mandatory evaluations: “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,”

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