The first five layoffs of educators has occurred after Greece's crackdown on those "not fulfilling their duties." As KTG reports, the five people (four teachers and one university professor) were found to be absent from the education institutions without excuse and for a long period of time, but they were receiving their salary month in, month out.

The professor was hired by the university in Patras, in North Pelopponnese. An internal investigation was conducted after students complained that he never appeared in the auditorium.

As for the other case, two of the fired teachers were in Central Macedonia, one in Crete and one in the area of the south Aegean Sea.

The most striking case is that one of the teachers did not appear in the school for whole 8 years. The other three were absent from one to five months and thus without excuse.

An internal administrative investigation is to be conducted if a school teacher is absent for 22 consecutive days or on month in total.

But apparently the bureaucratic mechanism that involves the school director, the department in charge and the education ministry is time-consuming.

...and as usual in Greece of well-protected and well-organized in unions civil servants, it leads to nowhere.