They crush the government in the streets and the Parliament – “No” to the bill, “yes” to public education

With the highlighting by the opposition of the problems that the bill for the “non-state non-profit universities” but also the “indirect privatization” of Education that is being attempted, continues the second day of discussion of the legislation of the Ministry of Education at Parliament.

At the same time, students in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities are preparing for tomorrow’s massive pan-Hellenic rally, which they have declared will “submerge Athens”. At the same time, today Thursday, they are carrying out actions in their universities.

Students proceeded to occupy the Rectory of EKPA in Propylaia. There they hung a banner that reads: “Fire on the bill for private universities. Exclusively free and public education. Athens will sink on March 8. Occupations of student associations”.

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#Conquest of his rectory #EKPA now from fledgling clubs, in view of tomorrow’s pan-Hellenic march #NOT_IN_PRIVATE_UNIVERSITIES!

EKA, ADEDY, IOE-OLME work stations to get a universal character! The bill should not be passed! #antireport #occupiers #students pic.twitter.com/3ISaKsIXga

— We Stay Active – Health, Collectiveness, Solidarity (@menoume_energoi) March 7, 2024

In the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki students blocked the entrances to the university. They have posted banners at the entrances of the university on Egnatia and Ethniki Amynis streets. The blocking of entrances will last until 12:00, at which time they are expected to gather in Kamara, in the center of Thessaloniki, and march against the bill.

“We invite every male and female student to participate in the boycott of AUTH tomorrow at 07:00, in the rally at 12:00 in Kamara, but also in the large nationwide rally of the student associations, on Friday at 12:00 in Propylaia,” said the president of the Christina Stamouli Chemistry student association.

Snapshot from the demonstrations at AUTH

“Bypassing the Constitution constitutes a maximum institutional and state violation”

With the battle in Parliament continuing, opposition MPs are firing at the government – among other things – for circumventing the Constitution and for institutional diversion.

“The circumvention of the Constitution by a legislative initiative constitutes a maximum institutional and state violation. What is forbidden in the constitutional text does not turn into what is allowed by a law”, said the deputy EPEKE of SYRIZA – PS Rallia Christidou in her statement.

“The government is legislating a counter-reform for the commercialization of higher education,” said SYRIZA-PS MP Rena Dourou.

The real title of the bill should be “reinforcement of schools, creation of customers for private HEIs”, Rena Dourou also emphasized.

SYRIZA-PS, he added, “unlike some others in the progressive space who are divided, rejects the violation of Article 16, remains unwaveringly in favor of a strong public university, democratic, self-governing, representative.”

The public university is a condition and a factor for social mobility, social cohesion, the member of parliament of the official opposition underlined.

Screenshot from the proceedings in the Parliament

PASOK: The unconstitutionality of the law is resounding

“The bypassing of the revision process is obvious that it gives rise to major issues and deprives this legislative initiative of the government, de jure and de facto, of the character of the educational reform,” PASOK-Movement for Change MP Milena Apostolaki said in her statement.

He also pointed out that report of the scientific council of the Parliament affirms beyond dispute that “the profit-making nature of the appendices you bring is present and the unconstitutionality of the law resounding.”

He even raised the question, “why a major reform [..] is it designed with an emphasis on exceeding constitutional provisions while the conditions are ripe for the needs of broader consensus?

Koutsoubas: The real modern thing is the expansion of the right of access to free education, not its reduction

For a few months now, in an attempt to defend the unacceptable bill for private universities, the government has indulged in a recital of slander and mockery, when it was even said through the mouth of the prime minister that the students are behaving almost like robbers, noted the general secretary of the Central Committee of the KKE. Dimitris Koutsoubasspeaking to the Plenary of the Parliament.

“You have lost the eggs and the Easter eggs”, he characteristically said to the government, while at the same time giving “tutorials” to the DAP, which does not find its vote in the general assemblies in the schools and therefore calls the MAT, as in Komotini .

The student associations may have been excluded from the Educational Affairs committee, but their voice is heard here through the KKE, emphasized D. Koutsoumbas, adding that the government conveys the voice of SEV and the groups that request the establishment of private universities, as well as to operate the public like businesses.

Economou: The monopoly in higher education often works as an alibi

The parliamentarian of the ND, Io. Oikonomou, spoke about the draft law during his presentation. For all of us who were part of DAP, which had proposed the establishment of non-state-non-profit universities since the 80s, today is a day of vindication and a day of pride, said Mr. Economou. He even pointed out that if we had proceeded earlier in this reform, society and our country would have had multiple benefits. “The existence of non-state-non-profit educational institutions and the competition with the public ones would have led the public universities to put their house in order. To overcome and transcend pathogens that discredit them. Because the monopoly in higher education often works as an alibi for inactivity and regression” said Mr. Economou.

It is noted that yesterday Wednesday, an objection of unconstitutionality filed by opposition parties was rejected by the majority of the Parliament.

Yesterday, moreover, SYRIZA – PS submitted a request for a roll-call vote, on the principle and on the articles concerning non-profit universities, while the KKE is expected to do the same.

Watch live the debate in the Parliament: