“It is a research proven that the teacher is largely influenced and determined by learning outcomes. In a school unit for everything to work smoothly, you need teacher-leaders, “says Athena Michaelidou.
CWhy should the teacher evaluation system change? What gravity will the manager’s evaluation have? What does the inspector-symbol use? Why should the evaluation scale change? Answers, to the above and to many other questions, arising in relation to the new teacher evaluation plan, gives an interview given to “P” by Education Minister Athina Michaelidou. Mrs Michaelidou says, if necessary, to clash, stressing that if we want to improve learning outcomes, then we must change, first of all the way teachers are assessed. “In a school unit for everything to work smoothly, you need teacher-leaders,” the minister points out.
Why should the evaluation system change?
Because 50 years is a lot of time for the evaluation system to remain stagnant. The existing system is unfair to teachers. It is leveling, anachronistic, it has not been updated for years. It is time to get a modern teacher evaluation system if we generally want to modernize our education system. The heart of the education system is the teacher himself, so whatever other changes we are promoting, if we do not modernize the evaluation part, we will not have the desired results. Our teachers need motivation. We need to bring to life the school, to give teachers opportunities so that good teachers can be rewarded and those who wish to be the backbone of the school to be the leaders of the school. Promotion should not necessarily be associated with the age of the teacher. We are the last country in Europe that has not been able to modernize its evaluation system. As a government, we raised this issue on our priorities and was already integrated into the plan of recovery and durability, so there is no longer an excuse to delay further. Our proposal is contemporary, for the benefit of teachers and children, it is based on scientific criteria and is mainly allowed to operate over time through a silk mechanism, in which our partners will participate from day one.
When will the new plan be ready to go?
Within the coming weeks we will have completed our final proposal, adopting some of the suggestions of the organizations, that is, those that do not affect the scientific side of our proposal. The goal is before the end of the school year to be ready to go to the House and gradually start implementing the new system from 1or September 2025. There will be a five -year transition period, during which service plans will be completed, there will be the time needed to see the piece of silk.
What do the first indications of contacts with teachers say? Did you find some points that need improvement?
There are issues that concern them. In some of them we agree and we will already incorporate them into our final proposal. An example is the percentage of the director’s view. Another issue is when seminars or how many hours will last. These are issues that we can change on the basis of educational organizations’ suggestions. To the point where the scientific basis of the proposal is not degraded. In places such as the abolition of the institution of the higher teacher we cannot agree why this changes all the philosophy of our proposal.
Explain to us a little, what is the higher teacher?
It is the new institution we are introducing, which is essentially a promotion to give teachers who do not want to leave the classroom to assume administrative duties. That is, they stay in the classroom, with a serious pedagogical benefit for children, the teachers who want it.
The possibility of everyone to choose to become higher teachers and dramatically reduce the number of those who claim management positions have you studied?
There are specific positions given to higher teachers, as are the positions for executives, so it will not affect.
Evaluation by Director. Some react, believing that the manager will favor his own, etc.
It is anti -scientific to have no role in the immediate leader, that is, the director in the teacher’s evaluation. We understand fears and concerns, but we cannot “cut and sew” the evaluation plan on the basis of these reflections. We know that today there are managers who may be favored by some. The aim is with measures and specific criteria to prevent such phenomena rather than perpetuate them. Our proposal is structured on the basis of specific criteria. So the manager will not work on his own.
A 20-30% will be the manager’s evaluation, we will also have the evaluation by the inspector. What else will teachers evaluate?
In the achievement folder, which has to do with training, seminars attended by teachers. Training, seminars in which teachers participate. What will happen now are training focused on how to improve the work they do within school units. Today training is not mandatory and this is a distortion that all involved identifies.
Will the Inspector’s visits continue to be scheduled?
What will change with regard to the inspectors is with the introduction of the inspector-symbolos, the continuous, formative evaluation. This constant support of the teacher. We should stop seeing the evaluation as something negative. Evaluation is a positive element and is carried out to improve. We are all evaluated everyday from everywhere. The inspector-symbol will be next to the teacher to support him in his work. They will make their growth plan together. The second inspector will continue to go scheduled for evaluation. It is not our goal to make unexpected visits. There is no reason why the evaluation will be continuous.
The rating scale why should it change from 1-40 today at 1-100?
An expanded scale gives more opportunities to be more reliable, more objective. It should also be noted that our evaluators will be educated by experts in order to be able to know and apply the new scale correctly.
Another addition is the secondary body of objections. And there are reactions here.
Teachers are right about the fact that the person who evaluates you can not examine your objection. We made a suggestion and the organizations are coming now and asking as we are even stricter. They ask that the Director of the Directorate concerned does not participate in the body, and we have come and opposed as replaced by the Director General of the Ministry.
Many new positions, the new institutions that are being introduced. How much will the new system cost?
We are talking about reform of the education system. Therefore, in order to get similar results, a serious investment must be made. The cost is the least we could have, in the face of the benefits we expect the new evaluation system to have. The cost will start counting after 2027, will be included in the Annual Budget of the YPE and is estimated at around € 12m over the years.
How does teachers evaluation affect learning outcomes?
It is a research proven that the teacher is largely influenced and determined by learning outcomes. In a school unit for everything to work smoothly, you need teacher-leaders. Managers who choose to be in this position. It changes the whole climate in a school, especially when his teachers are the best he could have, since teachers are the main factor of success.
The proposal that you have now submitted to the teachers were preceded by other proposals, which were not implemented. What has changed now?
As a government, we are determined to implement this very important reform. 50 years is too many! It is unfair for children and teachers to continue this distortion in 2025. Because the matter has been discussed for many years I think we have matured, it is now a requirement for the whole society to change the education system and a new plan of assessment of teachers is required to do so. It is time to highlight the many good examples we have in our schools. But beyond that, our kids deserve the best and we need to do the best for them.