The first school day of the school year began in Greece on Friday, with the annual “rite” of clashing figures — between unionists and the education ministry — on how many teaching spots are unfilled vying for headlines from upcoming elections. Unionists pointed to 25,000 vacant spots, while the caretaker ministry leadership cited 7,000.
Nevertheless, this year’s first day of school was the first after the seven-month tenure of the radical leftist SYRIZA government and the contentious presence of now ex-education minister Aristidis Baltas, whose seven months at the ministry’s helm saw an increase in open teaching spots and the … abolition of entrance exams for a handful of state-run magnet middle schools.
Baltas, a university professor and graduate of Greece’s most prestigious (private) high school in the 1950s, the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation, or simply the “Kollegio”, emerged as one of SYRIZA’s most vocal class-based “activist ministers”. Unelected while serving in the previous government, he was “rewarded” for his efforts by being placed in a position where he’s almost guaranteed entry into Parliament via SYRIZA’s ballots for the Sept. 20 election.
While public schools faced teachers’ shortages, private schools appeared mostly unaffected by the Greek state’s operation…

Tsipras-Baziana couple choose private school!

For instance, the first day of kindergarten for radical leftist Alexis Tsipras’ son at an exclusive private school in the old quarter Plaka district of central Athens was without incident.
The eldest of Tsipras’ two sons, accompanied by his mother, Peristera “Betty” Baziana, attends the Hill School in Plaka, where annual tuition fees range from 7,000 to 11,000 euros, for instance, if bus transport is included. The younger Tsipras son is also a day-time resident of Plaka, attending a private daycare center where annual fees are 7,000 euros.
Meanwhile, SYRIZA, the ex-premier’s party, issued an announcement praising public education, saying the party aims to “build a system of public education that is free, democratic and upgraded in terms of quality; one that will be based on the principles of equality but also freedom”.

Tsipras spouse Betty Baziana at her eldest son’s first day of school at a private kindergarten.