WRITTEN QUESTION P-2486/97 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (8 July 1997)

Subject: Operational Programme for Education and Initial Training for Greece

Sub-programme 1, measure 2, of the Operational Programme for Education and Initial Training for Greece concerns the establishment of a uniform secondary school.

Given that a timetable exists for the implementation of this measure, will the Commission say:

1. what the take-up rate for this measure was in 1994, 1995 and 1996, and what estimates exist for 1997;

2. where delays occurred in the take-up of appropriations, what the main causes of these delays were; and

3. whether it is aware of the cost of the above measure 1.2?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (12 September 1997)

Measure 2 of sub-programme 1 of the programme in question, co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF), is intended for the development of a 'single (or integrated) high school' which, according to the Greek Ministry of Education, would to some extent unify and build upon existing technical, vocational and general schools. The different regional characteristics would be taken into account in this type of school through the curricula, educational programmes and areas of study. Development of the 'single high school' would for the Greek authorities be a decisive element in their education policy.

1. There was practically no action on the measure during 1994 and 1995 (at least as far as the use of appropriations is concerned), and 1996 was a programming period. Efforts were made by the Ministry of Education to define and plan its action. On the basis of this analysis, the programme monitoring committee has adopted the operation as a whole.

Despite definition of the measure at action level, there is still much to be done at a lower level (sub-actions, sub-projects, etc.) regarding the description, specialisation, clarification, administration and implementation of the operation. The legislative elections in September 1996 and the change of Minister resulted in a further delay.

Today, there is at least one action under the measure still to be defined (the one relating to a new system for the changeover from secondary to tertiary education), lower-level programming has not been completed and there are considerable administrative and management shortcomings.

In 1994 and 1995, no appropriations were used, and approximately ECU 6 million in 1996. The forecasts for 1997, 1998 and 1999 are around ECU 14, 24 and 42 million respectively.

2. In the Commission's opinion, the main reasons for the delay are as follows:

* the relevant policy is imprecise with, as a result, considerable difficulties in precisely defining the content of the operation;

* lack of programming structures and significant shortcomings in structures for implementing, administering and monitoring the measure;

* frequent changes in the personnel responsible for the design and implementation of the operation;

* responsibilities overlapping between a number of departments and persons;

* vague, very large-scale and perhaps over-ambitious operations, judging by the results.

In the light of the significant delay and the high budget initially allocated to this measure, and taking into account the conclusions of the mid-term programme evaluation, the Ministry of Education and the Commission should, in the context of the partnership, re-examine the operation when the programme review takes place, which in principle should be before the end of this year.

3. The appropriations (its budget for the period 1994-1999) currently allocated to measure 1.2, the 'single high school', amount to ECU 86.4 million (total cost, of which the Community contribution is 75%). It should be noted that the European Regional Development Fund is also contributing to the operation under measure 1.4 of the 'school infrastructure and equipment' programme. The Commission does not have information as to the exact amount of these appropriations, as the distribution takes place at project level.