“Our aim is to invest in language, history and culture, these are the central elements around which the educational part of the Diaspora will be developed – and we will proceed to a restructuring of the Diaspora educational system. This will be organized after pre – conferences and meetings with the Diaspora and the overall institutional framework will be presented on October 2010” emphasized the Minister of Education, Life Long Learning and Religious Affairs, Anna Diamantopoulou, answering a question of the MP of New Democracy, Elisabeth Vosenberg, regarding the strengthening of Greek language schools abroad and she continued:
“Our policy could be summed up in the doctrine, that not one Greek child anywhere in the world who wishes to learn Greek, should be deprived of the opportunity to learn. And that’s why the language issue is a central element, around which this policy is formed. Even more, when, as I said, our goal is to promote the Greek language and enable others to learn it”.
The Minister of Education also presented some interesting, as she characterized them, elements.
“In 2004, there were 1650 educators world wide. In 2008 there were 1965 educators, in 2009 they became 2.400 educators. Meaning that within a year, between 2008 and 2009, the number of detached teachers world wide increased by 20%”, stressed Ms. Diamantopoulou. “It would be interesting to have a look at the criteria or qualifications.
For example, we have detached teachers specializing in English Literature in English speaking countries or German Literature teachers in German speaking countries. Likewise, there are schools with 10 students and 10 teachers respectively. There is a school in Africa with 8 students and 8 teachers. In Hamburg there is a school with 16 students and 14 teachers. For the first time, we had a large number of teachers, exercising administrative tasks in schools abroad. All these facts were therefore recorded one by one”.
For this reason, as the minister said in response to Ms. Vosenberg, rightfully no detachments will be made for 2010-2011, emphasizing on the need to better organize the funds for education.
“We will not cut costs in any case. However, when an educator is sent abroad, this means that there is the cost of his salary, his bonus and his deputy in the country, meaning the cost is tripled”, said Ms. Diamantopoulou. “Therefore, the reorganization and service of teachers must be proportional to the number of children, the courses and according to the needs”.
And concluded saying that, “with utmost respect to the work of these people, who work for the Greek language all over the world – I repeat that our goal is that not one child should be deprived of access to the Greek language – proper management of human resources will be implemented, so as to make use human resources and our resources as a country, in the best possible way”.
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