“The past few days have cast a veil over us. There’s an image that won’t leave my mind. It is the parent leaning over the desk at night of their child who is taking an exam in a few days. And there’s a child who asks not only what I’m going to be but if I’m going to make it. Education is a deeper social compact for the future of the country. For ND, for the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, public education is a central political choice,” Minister of Education and Religious Affairs Sofia Zacharaki said at the ND conference.
“We know very well that ND has historically been the party associated with the great choices of the country. I belong to a generation that grew up politically in the New Democracy, that believed in change, in modernisation, in the need for politics to remain close to the everyday life of citizens. In recent years, Greece has taken very important steps forward,” the Education Minister continued.
“The big change is not only in the numbers or indicators. It is also in the mindset, in the effort to leave behind the logic of stagnation. I believe that the next big challenge is for the country and the young generation. It is about whether young people will believe again that Greece can give them opportunities for development and that public education can be a source of knowledge, perspective and self-confidence. We are not starting from scratch. Within 7 years, we have kept the education system upright in the pandemic, with the fastest transition to digital teaching,” he added.
Sofia Zacharaki referred to specific breakthroughs in the field of education that have been implemented.
“We have taken steps that others have avoided for decades. This is the essence of our ideology. We committed ourselves to a great national dialogue, to a bold conversation about the national baccalaureate, to discuss at some point alternative entry to universities. A credible system but we also need an option for the next day,” he added among other things.
“We want everyone to be heard and this is the direction Kyriakos Mitsotakis is giving. No class dialogue that helps no one,” he added.
