Education in crisis - this way out

2012 budget cuts saw reductions of about 25% in education budgets for Greece.

On 9 July 2012, Greece's deputy labour minister resigned following protests, saying that the government was not being aggressive enough in pushing for changes to an unpopular bailout. The minister was the third cabinet member to quit the fledgling coalition in as many weeks.

12 February 2012 saw violent riots on the streets of Athens; 45 shops were set ablaze and 68 police officers were hospitalised. See photos from the disaster here.

As of 22 September 2011, the latest round of cuts were to include more wage cuts, a 20 per cent cut in pensions, tax increases for low-income families, and the suspension of 30,000 public service workers on partial pay. Read more here!

On 17 September 2011, protestors took to the streets of Athens to protest against the latest budget cuts. Outside parliament, students threw CDs towards the building. With the shortage of teachers and textbooks, written material has been handed out on disc instead.

As of 6 September 2011, teachers rejected the government’s proposed package of more cuts in education that would include more wage cuts, dismissal of teachers, and privatisation of public services.

On 29 June 2011, violent clashes occurred between the riot police and protesters as the Greek parliament voted to accept the EU's austerity requirements. The Athens Prosecutor agreed to an investigation into accusations of excessive use of tear gas, as well as the alleged use of other expired and carcinogenic chemical substances. The investigation is currently under way.

On 25 May 2011, anti-austerity protestors organised by the Direct Democracy Now! Movement, known as the Indignant Citizens Movement (Κίνημα Αγανακτισμένων Πολιτών), started demonstrating in major cities across Greece. This second wave of demonstrations proved different from previous years in that they are non-partisan and began through peaceful means.  Some of the protests later turned violent, particularly in the capital city of Athens. The demonstrations and square sit-ins were officially ended when municipal police removed demonstrators from Thessaloniki's White Tower square on 7 August 2011.