Students at risk

The resolution highlights the plight of thousands of students, including those as young as 23 who entered universities as recently as 2018. These individuals face expulsion for exceeding the time frame deemed acceptable for completing their studies.

“The government falsely claims there are 333,741 ‘eternal’ students to justify its actions. In reality, expulsions target those who don’t fit the arbitrary criteria of being ‘active’ students—criteria determined by the government’s restrictive policies,” the resolution states.

The students point out that many graduates from 2023 to 2024, under the new rules, would have been expelled before they could obtain their degrees.

Barriers to education

The resolution outlines the systemic issues causing delays in students’ academic progress, including:

  • Lack of housing and welfare support: Many students must work to pay rent and bills due to insufficient student dormitories.
  • Limited access to essential courses and workshops: Inadequate faculty and infrastructure leave students unable to enrol in required classes or complete thesis projects.
  • Delays in internships: Students wait over a year to begin internships, often unpaid, due to a lack of planning by the state.
  • Health and personal challenges: Students facing health issues or other personal difficulties encounter additional delays without adequate institutional support.

“The burden on universities does not come from students but from the entrepreneurial activities that drain funds and undermine their capabilities. Students neither ‘take someone else’s position’ nor ‘cost’ the state resources that are already inadequate,” the resolution argues.

Demands

The student associations are calling for:

  1. An immediate halt to expulsions and a directive to university administrations not to enforce the law’s provisions.
  2. Repeal of the Kerameos-Chrysochoidis law’s expulsion clause.
  3. Guaranteed access to examinations for all students.
  4. Measures to address the rising cost of living and studies.
  5. Support for working students, including flexible workshop schedules, remedial teaching within universities, and guaranteed student leave.

The resolution concludes with a call to action: “Everyone must join the mobilisations and actions across the country! Through our student associations, we will prioritise our needs and fight for our rights.”

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