ELAS supports “every serious attempt to modernize public tourism education” but at the same time emphasizes that the real reform will be judged “by whether their graduates acquire certified skills, decent work and a substantial professional perspective”.
The decision was signed for the transformation of the Higher Vocational Training Schools of Tourism, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism, into Experimental Schools.
“The transformation can be a positive step, as long as it actually leads to modern study programs, new specializations and a more substantial connection of education with the needs of employees, businesses and tourist destinations”, notes the Tourism Department of ELAS and estimates that “the change in the institutional characterization of the schools does not in itself constitute an educational reform. The success of the initiative will be judged by its operational content: funding, staffing, infrastructure, the quality of the programs, the organization of internships and, ultimately, the professional rehabilitation of graduates.”
At the same time, he emphasizes that the horizontal transformation of all SAEK Tourism into Experimental “creates reasonable questions, since the experimental character is not accompanied by clear objectives, pedagogical innovation, possibility of evaluation and process of disseminating the results”.
It asks the government to present:
· the new curriculum and specializations of each school,
· the implementation schedule and budget per educational structure,
· the staffing plan with sufficient and properly qualified educational staff,
· the program to upgrade laboratories, equipment and building facilities,
· the institutional framework of cooperation with businesses, employees, local government and educational institutions,
· the terms of remuneration, insurance, supervision and evaluation of the internship, specific indicators for the completion of the studies,
· the certification and professional absorption of graduates.
It proposes the establishment of a National Network of Public SAEK Tourism
As the Greek Left Alliance, it proposes “the establishment of a National Network of Public SAEK Tourism as Regional Centers of Professional Excellence.
Each school must have a common, high-level certified core, but also specializations that respond to the productive and touristic identity of its region.
Specializations can cover, among others, hospitality management, gastronomy and local products, agritourism, sports & cultural and conference tourism, destination management, digital operation of tourism businesses, sustainability, accessibility and resilience to climate change.
He also emphasizes that “the connection with the labor market is necessary, but it should not be exhausted by sending students for internships. It requires organized cooperation with clear quality specifications, certified practice companies, an educational supervisor, specific learning outcomes, full insurance coverage and fair remuneration. Internships should be part of the educational process and not a substitute for a regular job.”
At the same time, he notes that “every school must have a Regional Skills Council, with the participation of the school, employees, professional bodies, self-government and educational institutions. Its mission will be the annual recording of skills needs, the updating of specialties and the monitoring of the progress of graduates”.
“A change of name or administrative status is not enough”
ELAS supports “any serious attempt to modernize public tourism education” but is not satisfied with “a change of name or administrative regime”.
Real reform will not be judged by how many schools are labeled “Experimental”, he notes, but “by whether their graduates gain certified skills, decent work and meaningful career prospects”.
Source: In
