The education reform reached a turning point. The trade unionists threaten to block the start of the new school year and the autumn baccalaureate, and the critical voices say that the protests affect the students, those that the school should serve. Education experts come with two radically different perspectives and a single stake: the future of Romanian education.
School, blocked between reform and archive photo revolt
Marian Stas, an education expert, a teacher associated at the University of Bucharest and Harvard Kennedy School, argues that the protests of the teachers reflect a resistance to change and harsh condemns how the trade union leaders act, by virtue of their own interests.
“It is harder to give solutions than to go out at Vuvuzei”
In an exclusive interview “Adevărul”, Marian Staș declared that he fully supports the reforms proposed by the Minister of Education, Daniel David. At the same time, he believes that the unions are trying to brake the reform, but I do not propose anything concrete.
“Regarding this protest area, I have two important comments. Always situations from these turbulent, which occur at high speed in relation to the processing capacity of the company, generates discomfort. So far, and I am not referring only to education, but also to justice, for example, these professional bodies have never been put in front of such profound transformations. People not often through such true, irreversible situations of transformation, obviously their first reaction is the resistance to change. Reaction documented in the “model of the curve of change”. I fully support the approach of Minister Daniel David, to take this whole story until its fulfillment, as it is appropriate, whether it suits us or not”, Explains the expert.
“An extremely malonest, poisonous, counter -productive game of unions”
Stas goes on, talking about the interests behind the protests and the mediocrity that the system has reached:
“The other part of the answer is related to what, from my point of view, an extremely malonest, poisonous, counterproductive game of unions, which put the sole on the brake for reasons which, I think 20% are related to the transformations, but in 80% are related to their power base. At breaking to stop this process of transformation, which has reached this point so painful because for years so far we have complained in mediocrity. of the educational model.“He shows.
Father: “We must not lose sight of the student’s interest”
On the other side, Cătălin Nan, the president of the National Federation of Parents, argues that the protests are justified, but acknowledges that balance and responsibility are needed. He draws attention that students should not be sacrificed.
“From my point of view, the protests of the teachers are a legitimate expression of the discontent accumulated over time. Did not appear overnight. They are a reflection of some refused dissatisfaction. It not only reflects the wage problems and the 20 hours that teachers have to meet. It is a kind of lack of systematic respect for the role and status of teachers. Unfortunately, when you treat education as an expense, not as an investment and you start to cut, then it is clear that the teachers are forced to go out a bit, because they suffer and they can no longer support the underfunding. And not necessarily the underfunding, but also these incoherent policies. Every minister comes and changes the whole system. Have such a great power that from a pen has changed everything I knew“Says Nan.
Parents, he says, are not against teachers:
“The parents, mostly, are not against the teachers. This division is still trying. On the contrary, we understand that the school and the humiliated teacher, tired, exhausted, has no way to form children. Neither powerful, nor balanced. At the same time, the protests should somehow duplicated by a common responsibility. Parents excluded from the process and not with children transformed into collateral victims.
Trust in school – growing or falling free?
Marian Stas emphasizes that the long -term effects depend on who will prevail in this conflict.
“It depends on the intensity of the existing fields of forces. The forces supporting the transformation process, respectively those that oppose. To the extent that the components meant to demonstrate that these transformations are necessary so that, later, over 6 months, over a year, to improve the situation and that we do what we have to do, they will prevail, Changes, rather from collateral interest than what education itself means, then the process of change will be more difficult. the expert believes.
The “black” money from meditations could bring hundreds of millions of lei to the state budget
In his analysis, Marian Stas goes beyond the trade union slogans and reaches a sensitive point: private, non -fiscal meditations, which in many cases double or even triple the income of teachers, in parallel with wage claims. Without denying the need for decent wages, he emphasizes a lack of honesty in the public discourse.
“It would be good if we were integrated and we looked in our own yard. In health, so far there was no talk about a million holidays, given crazy. XII, who are preparing for the national evaluation and for the baccalaureate, only from there results in about 2.7 billion lei, black, unobiscovered.he told the truth.
The Education Expert also states that the current system preserves mediocrity:
“All the respect for the people of the school, but it is difficult to admit that many of them are less professional, that the degree preserves mediocrity, it is a unionist basis. If we look over the results of the last 5 years after the degree, we see fewer teachers who get averages over 7 and, more and more and, quality in education. ”
“It is impossible to return where we were”
Marian Staș leaves no equivocal place and says that the process started in the context of the current government is irreversible. “It is impossible to go back where we were. Therefore, to put you the reverse, only so, to the vuvuzes, it is a disqualifying strategy for those who apply it. I would rather ask the question:” How do we do otherwise? “. At the table and to build teaching career alternatives. attract the expert attention.
In my opinion, a minister like Daniel David has the strength to do such a thing. If he has proven that he can give a curricular alternative for high school, he also has the strength to generate alternatives of teaching career models, true, healthy, 21st century. Marian Stas, Education Expert.
The protests continue
The protests organized by the Education Trade Union Federations started on July 30 and will continue until August 6, to be resumed from August 19, if the claims are not resolved.
The trade unionists demand, among other things, the observance of the new payroll, the elimination of the inequities in the system, the payment of overtime and real investments in the school infrastructure. The manifestations, carried out in front of the Government and the Ministry of Education, come with explicit threats: blocking the baccalaureate examination in the autumn and postponing the beginning of the school year.
