12-09-16 Universities urged to proceed with hundreds of teaching appointments

One thousand young academics with high quality credentials are expected to contribute substantially to addressing the understaffing bequeathed to universities by six years of suffocating memorandum restrictions, combined with the institutional and material discrediting of State Universities by previous governments.

Continuing in its efforts to re-invigorate universities with young academics, the leadership of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs secured, as it had pledged, 500 positions of Teaching and Research Personnel, or DEP. These posts are over and above the 500 paid positions given to universities in February, 2016.

Despite all this, by the beginning of September only 197 of 500 posts have been proclaimed by universities. Specifically, of the 364 slots allotted to 22 universities and of the 136 allotted to TEI tertiary technical schools and Tertiary Schools of Pedagogical and Technical Education, or ASPAITE, 158 proclamations are ready for publication at eight universities, as are39 proclamations at four TEI.

We note the unjustifiable negligence of a number of tertiary institutions in completing internal procedures and sending the ministry the documents for the said proclamations. It is curious that deans and university presidents - who otherwise are concerned about academia and the operation of the institutions – have delayed so much in proclaiming teaching positions.

The Ministry of Education, Research, and Religious Affairs cannot tolerate the conduct of political opposition at the expense of young academics and of the unhindered operation of universities. The institutions that do not promote the renewal of teaching staff and do not proclaim posts that have been secured will be excluded from the next round of hiring. The councils of deans and university presidents are obliged to assume their responsibilities.