05-10-16 Nikos Filis affirms new religious instruction curriculum will be implemented

Speaking after attending a two-hour meeting between on the one hand Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, ruling coalition partner ANEL leader Panos Kammenos, and himself, and on the other Archbishop Ieronymos and a delegation of Metropolitan bishops of the Church of Greece,  with the focus being the new religious instruction curriculum, Education, Research, and Religious Affairs Minister Nikos Filis made the following remarks outside the PM’s office:

“The climate in the discussions was very good. Misunderstandings were resolved. The dialogue is always continuing, because there are issues that must be discussed between Church and State.

Regarding  religious instruction, the discussion focused on implementation of the new curriculums. They will be implemented. The issue of education is subject to the decision, the responsibility, and the competency of the state.

There are no new [religion] textbooks.  We have distributed the same textbooks as last year. These will co-exist [with new teaching material]. As in all courses, so too in religious instruction, the course with the new curriculum will be evaluated [at year’s end].

The views of the Church will be heard again, and at the end of the year we will conclude on the definitive form of the new curriculums.”

Journalist: So you will go ahead with the new curriculums as planned?

Nikos Filis:  “Certainly we are continuing and there is no issue of disagreement right now on this issue. The new curriculums have been published and the teachers are being trained.

But I repeat, we do not have a dogmatic view. We want a dialogue and we will again listen to the views of Church officials on the curriculum, and we will proceed with evaluating the course.

The books have been distributed. There are no new textbooks. The analytical teaching programmes are changing, and they will be evaluated. The old text books will be used parallel to that.

Our view is that the course should not be taught with just one textbook.  We want a richer, more lively course. We want an experiential and inter-disciplinary teaching approach, while always meeting the three conditions set by the Archbishop [Ieronymos]: A.) That the course be mandatory; B.) That the teaching hours not be cut; C.) An orientation regarding Orthodox civilization in the curriculum.  There is always dialogue on all issues.

We came here not to change each other’s views, but to find a common ground, for the benefit of the people and the country, and both the Church and State desire that I believe. “