The problem of the minority education is again on the UN agenda

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) submitted a written statement to the 24th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Through the written statement on the subject of “the right not to be discriminated and the education in mother tongue: The Problem of bilingual minority pre-school education in Greece”, ABTTF conveyed the problem of bilingual education to the UN agenda.

While informing on the education reform introduced by the legislation 3518/2006 which rendered pre-school education mandatory for each child, ABTTF stressed because there are no bilingual kindergartens given the government blockage on them for establishment the pupils belonging to the minority families are forced to attend public schools which offer education only in Greek.

ABTTF reported in September 2012 in Echinos (Şahin) not only the pupils who had not attended public kindergartens were refused to be registered to the minority primary school but also the principal of the respective school, who received the pupils to lesson only with pre-registration, had been dismissed from duty. ABTTF provided further details on the issue that the kids were admitted to school following the registration which was completed only in 2012 November. Yet, as an ultimate solution has not been reached regarding the problem, a similar case and problems are likely to emerge in the new school year.

In its written statement, having made note on the fact-finding mission organised in October 2012 in presence of Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) President Hans-Heinrich Hansen and Human Rights Without Frontiers Int’l (HRWF) Director Willy Fautré when consultations held with parents in Echinos (Şahin), ABTTF called on Government of Greece to authorise the establishment of bilingual minority kindergartens. In addition, ABTTF urged Greek government to provide bilingual education in public kindergartens in the region by the time bilingual minority schools are established.

The problem of minority schools in Greece is emergency situation!

Pointing out the insufficiency of the minority schooling system despite the educational autonomy granted to the Minority by the Lausanne Peace Treaty undersigned in 1923, ABTTF uncovered a number of regulations, including training of teachers, curricula, and textbooks, resulted in low-quality education in minority schools. Further to this, ABTTF reported the international delegation who visited the region in October 2012 had described the situation as an emergency issue.

In reference to former UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues Gay McDougall’s visit to the region in 2008, ABTTF reiterated the expert’s findings that 194 minority schools had been providing education in the region and later in 2011 upon the decision of the Ministry of Education, Life-Long Learning and Religious Affairs the number of minority schools had been decreased to 174.
Another twelve minority schools in the region have been suspended in February 2013 upon the decision of the Ministry, on the grounds of insufficient number of pupils. Informing on the latest developments on the issue, ABTTF referred to SYRIZA Xanthi Deputy’s submission of a parliamentary question on the subject and call for respective minority schools to be authorised for resuming their activities as the number of students has increased.

You can access the written statement via following link:
http://daccess-dds ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G13/166/96/PDF/G1316696.pdf?OpenElement