Random selection of school parade flag-bearers to be scrapped

Conservative Education Minister Niki Kerameus has vowed to scrap a measure introduced by her leftist predecessor for the flag-bearers in school parades on national holidays to be selected by lot rather than on the basis of academic performance.

In comments to Alpha Radio on Thursday, Kerameus said the new rules will come into effect in the October 28 national parades, which commemorate Greek resistance in World War II.

“The best [pupils] will carry the flag,” she said.

Measures introduced by the previous education minister, Costas Gavroglou, were restricted to primary school parades, while the procedure remained unchanged for middle and high school parades. The move had been criticized at the time as an assault on the ideals of achievement and excellence.

Kerameus said she was against the sociological approach to history, adding that changes will be made in history textbooks at a later date.

“For us, history should be aimed at shaping a national conscience,” she said.

Asked about a ruling by the country’s data protection authority on Wednesday that said keeping records of students’ religious faith violates the Constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights, Kerameus said the ministry had not been formally informed of the decision and will need time to deliberate its response.

She added that a ruling by the Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court, on the same issue was still pending.