OELMEK president Dimitris Taliadoros gave his response on Wednesday to criticism over an allegedly sexist comment directed at Education Minister Athena Michaelidou, saying the sexist remark controversy has derailed the debate and placed undue focus on a single line taken out of context. “If people feel it was sexist, I withdraw it,” he said, stressing he never intended to demean the minister or any woman in politics.
Taliadoros argued that the word “woman”, like any other term, changes meaning depending on tone and context, and maintained that his statement was misinterpreted. He nevertheless acknowledged that there were reactions within OELMEK, including from members of the board who urged him to retract the remark. “We cannot demonise the word ‘woman’,” he added, insisting that the focus on his phrasing distracts from substantive issues in the legislation being drafted.
Turning to the proposed new teacher evaluation system, he noted that with schools closed and educators gathering outside parliament, OELMEK will be submitting a memorandum to the House president and political parties. He said the union will once again highlight what it sees as serious weaknesses in the ministry’s proposal.
According to Taliadoros, even the minister herself publicly acknowledged a month ago that the plan contains “constructive ambiguities” — something he believes cannot form the basis of a reform that fundamentally changes how teachers are assessed. “We cannot accept something to ‘fix later’. We would be judged for not having noticed or understood the gaps.”
He pointed to specific inconsistencies, such as contradictory references in the draft law on whether and when school heads will act as evaluators — one version before the transitional provisions and another afterwards. “Why are these articles still there?” he asked, noting that even the legal service identified ambiguity.
At the same time, he clarified that he does not blame the minister for the current system but argued that, given her experience, “she should have presented a more complete plan”.
He concluded by saying that the unions cannot accept a reform “roughly sketched out”, without clear criteria, procedures, and weightings. “We are talking about the future of our education system,” he said, calling on teachers to support OELMEK’s collective position.
Also read: First reaction from Education Ministry to Taliadoros comment
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