The decision to abolish the appointments list was taken in 2015, with an exceptionally long transition period extending until 2027. Twelve years were deemed necessary to allow adaptation to the new system. Yet as implementation approaches, union organisations continue to resist and seek arrangements that would protect those already within the system.
Trade unions undoubtedly have the right to defend their members. The service of contract and substitute teachers should be recognised and assessed fairly. However, safeguarding labour rights is one thing. Perpetuating an outdated appointments system is quite another.
On what basis should a recent university graduate with outstanding academic qualifications and modern pedagogical training rank behind another candidate simply because that person registered on a list many years earlier? And who is defending the rights of the thousands of young graduates waiting for an equal opportunity to compete for a place in public education?
The objective should not merely be to replace one list with another. The goal must be to create a genuinely merit-based system that evaluates knowledge, teaching skills, experience and professional competence.
The government has an obligation to consult educational organisations, but it cannot grant them an effective veto over education policy. Reforms cannot be abandoned every time they come into conflict with organised professional interests.
The question that must finally be answered is a simple one: who are public schools for?
Teachers, or students?
The answer should be self-evident. Public education must provide the best possible learning environment for every child. The selection of teachers should serve that objective, not the preservation of privileges and arrangements that belong to another era.
