The title is not a hoax, as yes, Euripides was indeed a singer. At least according to some students at a regional university in Greece. In an interview with Kathimerini newspaper’s journalist Apostolos Lakassas, Angelos Chaniotis – Professor of Ancient History at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton and member of the National Authority for Higher Education, mentions this incident, confirming the low level of students and the decline of entrance exam scores in the humanities fields.
From a score of 15,000 points in 2000, the entrance exam threshold dropped to between 8,500 and 9,500 points. Fewer and fewer high school graduates choose to study the humanities each year, following the global trend. The result is a decline in the quality of higher education.
Starting Point: Secondary Education
“Every discussion about research should start with secondary education. It feeds universities with students, and this is where a large percentage of graduates from philosophy faculties end up. The problems are common, regardless of the subject. It is well-known and documented that the level of education provided at the secondary education level is extremely low.”
Angelos Chaniotis continues: “The off-putting teaching methods and the mistaken belief that the goal of the subject is the transmission of knowledge, rather than the transmission of interest, are two of the problems. As is well known, knowledge lasts until the next exam, while interest can last a lifetime.”
He then stresses the need to “abandon the one-way relationship between department and curriculum. For example, a philosophy department offering only a bachelor’s course does not fully serve its mission. Its primary mission should not be to produce graduates without professional rights related to their field of study who will ultimately teach literary and historical subjects in secondary education, but to offer courses throughout university education” notes Mr. Chaniotis. “However, most professors insist that each department be connected to only one curriculum, because this way academic “quotas” are preserved within universities”.
Enriching Education Programs
Perikles Mitkas – President of the National Authority for Higher Education (EΘΑΑΕ), points out that “humanities departments must enrich their curriculums and leverage technological tools so that they equip their graduates with modern digital skills, enabling them to be employed in new environments and make it clear that their job prospects should not be limited to the field of school education.”
When asked if we can be optimistic, Angelos Chaniotis give a rather indirect answer:
“Once, Lenin said that there would never be a revolution in Germany because the police would prevent it. I could say that there will never be any substantial reform in Greece because it would differ from the familiar and customary.”
You can read the full article by Apostolos Lakassas in Kathimerini.
Angelos Chaniotis and Perikles Mitkas are founding members of the non-profit organization Komvos-Node: Networks of Global Hellenism. Angelos Chaniotis, in addition to being a founding member, is the president of the Board of Directors of Komvos-Node.
Note: The views expressed by Angelos Chaniotis and Perikles Mitkas do not necessarily represent the official positions of Komvos-Node.
The Main Photo is Copyright Free:
Photo from RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/el-gr/photo/smartphone-8419226/
