Education reforms will be completed

First Published:	02/10/2006 13:51:13
The reforms in higher education will be completed during the government's present four-year term, education minister Marietta Yannakou said in an interview with Kathimerini appearing in the newspaper's Sunday edition. Replying to questions, Yannakou said that the reforms would be completed within the present four-year term, and cited the self-administration of educational institutions and the abolition of the "eternal students" as two of the more important issues being addressed. Regarding the 103 euros benefit the government has proposed to the striking school teachers, to be paid over 6 6-month tranches, Yannakou said that the education ministry "asked for and insisted on the best possible solution" with respect to the teachers' financial demands, and that national economy and finance ministry "considers that this is the only possible arrangement that can be tolerated by our economy". Yannakou denied any prospect of resigning in order to facilitate the dialogue, nor in the event of new takeovers of universities upon tabling of the relevant bill in parliament, adding that the prime minister and the government had no intention of leaving the country stagnating and the universities in the present situation after the year 2010 "so that they will end up not being considered higher education'. "It's a matter of conscience," the minister said. Questioned on the possibility of recourse to early general elections, citing the reform in the educational system as the reason, Yannakou said she was aware that such rumours existed, but stressed that "I am working closely with the prime minister, and never have we discussed such a possibility, nor has such an issue been put forward". Asked whether, in the event of new student sit-ins at the universities, the education issue could be used as a reason for early elections, Yannakou said "no, I don't consider it so at this time", and reiterated that "the government always has education as the tip of the spear of its policy".
Source:  Athens News Agency http://www.ana.gr