M. Katrinis: Reforms are not made with conservative options and proposals

PASOK’s opposition to the content of the Ministry of Education bill was expressed by the head of its parliamentary group, Mr. Michalis Katrinis, speaking in Parliament.

He characterized the government’s supposed reform agenda as a myth, stressing that “no conservative choice and proposal constitutes reform and this government is only associated with anachronistic and conservative choices.”

Michalis Katrinis stated that elements such as rationality, consensus, dialogue and the search for convergences are absent in the bill brought by the government. All it succeeds in doing, he said, is to cause a huge uproar in the university community for no reason. since he is trying to impose a system of administration with harsh regime characteristics.

He pointed out that the government ignored PASOK’s proposal for the re-establishment of the National Education Council, the pre-eminent body of dialogue, composition and consensus between political parties, educational and social bodies.

“If we want to have a high quality index in education, this index has a cost. But the government withdraws from the obligation to ensure this high quality index and chooses commercialization”, said Mr. Katrinis.

He accused the government of indulging in policies of micro-arrangements and services in the field of education, such as those with colleges.

He emphasized that the government focused on the establishment of the University Police in universities and the logic of repression instead of upgrading the studies provided to students while stating that nothing has changed in the universities in the three years of the ND government and the phenomena of violence give and take, despite the celebrations of the government to abolish the lawlessness asylum, three years ago.

He pointed out that PASOK, instead of the university police that receives orders from the Ministry, had proposed a special security force that will receive orders from the university authorities, but also access cards, as is the case in all Western European countries.

“At a time when Education must move in line with the 4th Industrial Revolution and the digital transformation and the changes they bring to the production and development model, to knowledge, employment and the orientation of the educational process, the government is content with methods and micro-arrangements But the worst thing is that it attempts to create a centralized control framework of the administration and operation of the universities that takes us back to yesterday.

Because what else does the method of electing the Rector and Vice-Rectors suggest?

What else constitutes the fact that the chancellor is the head of all the bodies and is not controlled?

What else does the Management Council recommend that turns into an establishment force and an absolute source of power in universities?”, emphasized Michalis Katrinis.

He reiterated PASOK’s proposal for a new institutional framework that would secure and deepen the institutions’ self-governance, based on best practices and the European reality.

At the same time, Mr. Katrinis also sent a clear and unequivocal message against the attacks that PASOK and its President, Nikos Androulakis, are receiving because he does not appear willing to be the convenient government partner of either side, saying:

“Our choice is not a PASOK that will be a convenient and small government partner in a government that will not talk about the policies practiced, but about the chairs that will be shared.

Our choice is the autonomous course, our choice is to strengthen PASOK, because a strong PASOK is a guarantee of security and stability for the country.

Mr. Mitsotakis and Mr. Tsipras are only interested in being Prime Ministers. But we are interested in what the content of governance will be.

And if this content should be linked to progressive policies, to policies supporting social cohesion, to fiscal justice options, to major and substantial reforms”.