The issue of AΞIK and the creation of a School of Tourism Management in Paphos was discussed on Wednesday, among others, by the Parliamentary Education Committee.
The Deputy Chairman of the Education Committee, Chrysanthos Savides, in his statements after the session said that they examined the bills concerning the creation of Tourism Schools in Paphos and noted that "it is a great day today for Paphos".
It is, he said, a great day because the discussion of the bills, which will create a School of Higher Education in Paphos, has started. "The benefits will be multi-dimensional and multi-faceted... The student as a living organism, which is the students, brings financial support to restaurants, cafes, bars, bookstores. Educational support of Paphos with the research projects, but also other kinds of educational activities such as seminars," he added.
He noted that it will help the city to develop more educational infrastructure, but most importantly it will help the student, because Paphos is the highest quality city in terms of tourism.
He also said that representatives of AXIK "want to convince us that AXIK is better to stay in Nicosia".
"Which is undocumented, because for so many years they have not taken care to develop new programmes at AΞΙΚ. To say that they have only two programs, Culinary Arts and Tourism Management, while in tourism science there is a multitude of tourism programs...Anyone who tries to stand in the way of the creation of the TEFC in Paphos, of this particular school, will find us against them," he added.
Independent MP Andreas Themistocleous, in a statement said that the legal procedures provided for were not followed at all.
"A question arises as to whether the Paphos Municipality with the 16 million earmarked for a Municipal Hall, which Municipal Hall is being converted into a school of tourism professions in Paphos, if it is correct, and also whether the Paphos Municipality next year will come to the Government and ask for another 16 million for the construction of a Municipal Hall," he added.
In a statement, DPA Democratic Forces Cooperation MP Alekos Tryfonides said that the debate on the bills and the decision of the Council of Ministers on the inclusion of AXIK in the TEPAK and the creation of the new School of Tourism Management, which will operate in Paphos, began today in the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture.
"This decision is in our favour because it will give the opportunity to develop a specialised School that the country needs, which will offer high quality programmes that will ensure both the academic and professional competence of the graduates. The needs of our tourism industry are growing and we hope that this new School will supply it with graduates who will enhance our tourism product. The flexible academic and professional programmes will help in this direction," he added.
As for the teachers and other staff, Mr. Tryfonides said that an agreement has been made with PASYDY where on a voluntary basis they will either be transferred to work at the new School in Paphos or be assigned to the rest of the Public Service.
"It is noteworthy that the Mayor and the Paphos City Council have granted the CUTC a plot of land on which they will build the New School of Tourism through European funds, the bids have been awarded and based on the statement of the Mayor of Paphos in June 2023 the key will be handed over to the CUTC. Regarding the issue that was raised about the wrong handling of the abolition of ATI and its transfer to CTEPAK, it is clear from the provisions in the bills that this will not be repeated in the case of AXIK, which is not abolished but integrated as an autonomous entity in the New School of Tourism Management", he concluded.
In his statements after the meeting, Paphos Mayor Faidonas Faidonos said that, in principle, there is a decision of the Council of Ministers, by which AΞIK is being moved and integrated into the TEPAK. This has nothing to do with Paphos, nor with any city, he said.
"And we consider this decision of the Council of Ministers to be very correct since the integration of AIXIK under a public university can only be positive and will help AIXIK to be upgraded," he added.
In addition, he continued, the city of Paphos and the Province have been demanding for years the establishment of a public university school "and as it is known we have signed a memorandum of cooperation with the CUTC where we will offer essentially all the infrastructure to host in Paphos both the School of Tourism Studies and under this school of university tourism studies will be integrated as a separate and autonomous entity the Higher Hotel Institute of Cyprus, which currently operates on its own here in Nicosia".
As he said, the Paphos Municipality will hand over "a building and a property in excess of 15-16 million euros to the CTEPAK and indeed these facilities are where the new Paphos Municipal Hall would be built."
Mr. Faidonos said he was happy because this school will be located in Paphos, saying that Paphos rightfully claimed and got this seat of this school because 38% of the tourist flow that comes to Cyprus ends up in Paphos, because most of the hotels in terms of beds are in Paphos and because the economy of the Paphos District depends on tourism by 40% while on a pan-Cypriot basis by 20%.
Source: KYPE
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
