The Minister of Education, Prodromos Prodromou held a meeting with the President and members of the Association of Directors of Secondary Education on the proper functioning of schools at the Ministry today. The meeting was also attended, from the Ministry's point of view, by the Deputy Minister of Education.
After the meeting, the Minister made statements to reporters as follows: "I had a meeting today with the Association of Secondary School Principals under its new composition. With the President and members of the Association we had the opportunity to discuss a number of issues. The focus was on the issues of the proper functioning of schools and in particular on how to deal with the phenomena of violence and delinquency.
I recall that in April a scientific workshop was held by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth on the issues of violence and delinquency. Together with the principals and teachers, we are trying to support schools so that they can respond to today's realities. A comprehensive planning and development of existing structures is taking place at the Ministry, based on the findings of the workshop, and dialogue and cooperation with the Association of Headmasters and the OELMEK will continue.
With regard to issues discussed in the press in recent days - on which a detailed announcement will be issued later, and there will also be a statement from the Association of Principals - I would like to underline that in public schools a spirit of citizenship is systematically cultivated, and through appropriate pedagogical programmes, with appropriate actions for the consolidation of the acceptance of diversity and the limitation of prejudice and/or any tendencies of racism. We have many thousands of children from different backgrounds, from different countries and of course the school in Cyprus welcomes all these children.
What I have to say categorically is that neither racism nor any form of abuse is accepted in schools. In the vast majority of cases the schools are functioning properly. We welcome a large number of children every year and we see every day, through the operation of the schools themselves, that there is harmonious integration and functioning of the school units. We reject the impression that there is racism in schools. But we have to realize at the same time that schools operate under certain regulations that apply to everyone and the best integration and for children with an immigrant biography is to be treated equally."
We had an example of the very good work that is being done on 26 May, when a very nice event was held here at the Ministry, where children were awarded prizes in a competition related to the issues of admission and citizenship, as well as combating racial discrimination, and we found that in our schools children with an immigrant biography are being welcomed, having the opportunities and possibilities that they are entitled to.
Regarding the incident in a secondary school in Larnaca, where a parent, a Greek Cypriot, I should specify, came to the graduation ceremony carrying firecrackers, these are phenomena which do not only concern the school but we must deal with them with calm and determination. Such phenomena are unacceptable, they are evidence of difficulties in the environment of that school and are not related to racial discrimination.
That is why we will stand by the heads of the schools and what was underlined in today's meeting is that the rules of operation of the schools, no color, no race, but apply to everyone. This was emphasized by the principals who asked for the support of the Ministry to ensure that there is peace in the schools, with the application of the rules and with the required spirit of understanding and pedagogical responsibility, and they will have that support.
I would like to take this opportunity to refer to another incident in another area that was discussed where there was an allegation that a student was victimized and stagnated, with the family claiming that there was an issue of racial discrimination. In that case, which again has been reported, the student had more than 350 absences. It is in no way a racial issue, but an issue of attendance.
The school supports all children, it particularly supports children who may present some difficulties or problems in their social or family environment, but we must calmly and with appropriate mechanisms implement the policy of the Ministry of Education, which is based on international practices and European recommendations to welcome and accept all children without discrimination. Opportunities are given. The State organises intensive programmes for children with an immigrant biography to teach and learn Greek as a second language, in order for them to become familiar with the environment. Opportunities are given and we already have children with an immigrant biography excelling in our schools and we see this with satisfaction," the Education Minister concluded.
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