On the planning of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth for the Transnellium School in Larnaca, as well as the need to create public university schools in Larnaca and the developments on the whole issue today, the Education Committee of the Parliament discussed, among other things.
As Kyprianos Louis, Director of Secondary Education, told the Parliamentary Education Committee, the study that will demonstrate the need for the creation of a special high school is expected to be completed within 2022, the study that will determine the cost of the project will be completed within 2023 and the work is expected to be completed by 2027.
The Parliamentary Education Committee decided to come back to discuss the issue within two months.
At the same time, the Committee, according to the press release of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture, was informed by the responsible persons about the possibility of creating a university school in Larnaca by the University of Cyprus and TEPAK, as well as the decision to create a school of the sea.
The Education Committee asked the officials to send specific data in relation to the studies that have already been carried out and decided to come back within a month to discuss the issue.
The Mayor of Larnaca Andreas Vyras, in a statement said that today they discussed two very important issues of Larnaca concerning the vital issue of education and added that the first issue is the utilization of the space of the former Diannellian School.
"A huge space in the city center. The Technical School has been closed since 2015, we are in 2022 and we are still thinking and we have not decided what school we will build, but mainly there are no specific timetables and specific actions, which will solve a huge and important problem of the city We hope that what we have heard, even verbally, will soon be seen with specific actions, specific commitments, "he added.
And the horizon of 2027, Vyras continued, "we believe that it is very distant and that if there is the will much sooner to have concrete results for the utilization of this huge investment of the state, but mainly to satisfy and meet the needs of the city for issues of secondary education."
Regarding the university school, Vyras said it is a huge issue for the city of Larnaca.
"Again we heard the same excuses for the creation of a sea school both from the Ministry of Education that when the decisions were made and the specific commitments of the President of the Republic were based on incorrect data, which I repeat is unfortunate in our country if we make statements-commitments and we have incorrect data based on them, and then with the first ease we undo specific actions. We want to say as Larnaca people that we will not stop the effort to create this school," he added.
DISY MP Prodromos Alabritis, in his statements after the meeting of the Education Committee said that the existing situation cannot continue and that after the actions of the Ministry "which we welcome, the ownership of the site passed to the state."
"We expect the use of the site either as a high school if the needs and numbers of students in the area require it, or in anything else that will serve the citizens of the city and the province. Until the completion of the design, we expect the cooperation of the technical services of the Ministry and the Municipality of Larnaca for the clean-up and decency of the area," he added.
Regarding the university school, Mr. Alabritis said that they expect the cooperation of the Ministry of Education and the University of Cyprus for the implementation of the announcement of the President of the Republic for the establishment and operation of the school of technology and marine sciences in Larnaca.
AKEL MP Andreas Pasiourtides, in statements after the session of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture, said that an unacceptable situation prevails as far as the Diannellio is concerned.
"The space became the property of the Ministry of Education in 2019 and to date, there is no plan regarding its development and utilization, despite the fact that all the competent authorities and bodies of the city have submitted their recommendations to the Ministry of Education," he noted.
On the contrary, he said, the space there - and it is a space of several thousand square meters - has turned into a den of drug addicts, criminals, homeless people live in it and it is used unhindered by anyone who wishes to enter it, creating a situation in the city center that cannot continue.
"We have expressed our dissatisfaction and have asked the Ministry as, at least until the site is developed, which, peace be upon us, should be done immediately and with a specific road map, to secure the site so that no one can intervene within it," he added.
With regard to the establishment of a university school, Pasiourtidis said that today the Government's last excuse regarding the issue has been refuted.
"Let me remind you that the Government told us that because the cost of implementing the School of Marine Science and Technology has changed, that is why its decision has changed. However, in a letter submitted today, the Ministry of Finance since 2018, with the claimed initial cost of €15 25 million set by the previous rectorate of the University of Cyprus for the establishment of the school, had officially informed that it could not commit to funding the project," he added.
Therefore, he continued. "We are confirmed when we say that the decision not to create the School of Marine Science and Technology is political and the decision to withdraw is solely due to the government and the President of the Republic."
"Fortunately, we see that the CUT is willing to create a university school in Larnaca."
"Fortunately, we see that the CUT is willing to create a university school in Larnaca. However, this does not mean that we will stop demanding the creation of a school by the University of Cyprus as well. Finally, everyone should take responsibility, because Larnaca deserves it, demands it and will claim the university school to the end," he said.
DIKO MP Christos Orphanides said in a statement that the Education Committee had for the umpteenth time discussed the issue of the space where the old Diannellios Technical School in Larnaca was housed.
"Projects for the creation of school units have been announced. Today we have been informed that the planning speaks of a special school and the creation of a sports and music high school and possibly a high school. We expect decisions on this soon but the first thing that the competent ministry must do is to proceed is to clean up the area," he added.
He said the situation that exists in the area is unacceptable and creates both nuisance and is unsightly.
"We expect decisions soon because the timetables that have been set for the implementation of the goals until 2027 is not something that satisfies us. We want immediate decisions and answers. We in Larnaca have huge complaints from the current Minister. He has not shown any effort to solve any problem faced by the school units and we ask and demand that he stand by the side of Larnaca even now," he added.
Regarding the creation of university schools, Orphanides said that this issue has also been discussed repeatedly.
"Larnaca is at the limits of its strength. If they think that in order for a project and the creation of a university school to be implemented that Larnaca people have to take to the streets for this issue as well, we are determined to ask and demand and take to the streets. We demand answers from the government. Our current Minister had shut down the whole issue of setting up schools. We demand a retraction of those statements. This week there will be a joint meeting of all the MPs of Larnaca District together with the Mayor," he said.
ELAM MP Sotiris Ioannou said in his statements that the situation in the centre of Larnaca cannot continue any longer.
"The historic site of the Diannellian School has been transformed into a place of drug trafficking and use, nuisance, illegality, homelessness and environmental pollution. The 2027 date announced by the Ministry of Education is in no way satisfactory. What we have asked for is the submission of a specific road map with timetables for the completion of the projects," he added.
Regarding the creation of university schools, Ioannou said that "the tragic and criminal miscommunication between the University of Cyprus and the competent state bodies has only the city of Larnaca as a victim."
"There is a political decision to create a university school in the city and we call on everyone to respect it."
"There is a political decision to create a university school in the city and we call on everyone to respect it. This will be our pursuit and as Larnaca MPs we will continue to insist on the implementation of this political decision," he added.
EDEK MP Andreas Apostolou, in his own remarks, said that the Ministry of Education is very late in implementing its commitment for the utilization of the Diannellian School in Larnaca and today all the MPs of Larnaca District and the Education Committee have asked for specific timetables, so that this space in the city center can finally be utilized.
Regarding the creation of the university schools, Mr. Apostolou said that "we must welcome the fact that the CUT has started a dialogue with the Municipality of Larnaca to continue the cooperation announced last week and we hope that soon the will of the CUT to create a university school in Larnaca will be announced."
"This is independent of the state's long-standing request and commitment to Larnaca to establish a Faculty of Marine Sciences of the University of Cyprus in the city of Zenon," he noted.
DPA MP Alekos Tryfonidis said in a statement that the Ministry of Education, after a heated debate, said that the site next to the demolished Diannellio School is expected to become a high school.
"We asked for all the studies to come in a month so that that area can go from being a garbage area, a drug trafficking area, a homeless accommodation area, to be a jewel for Larnaca and for our education."
Regarding the creation of university schools, Mr. Tryfonides said that huge sums of 50 to 100 million were mentioned and they asked the officials in a month to present them the new studies that should be carried out at a reasonable cost and to indicate the appropriate place near the sea, in Larnaca District, so that this school, which the city of Larnaca and all the Cypriot people need, this School of Marine Research, can finally be established.
Meanwhile, in a written statement regarding the establishment of the School in Larnaca and today's discussion in the Education Committee, the Rectorate of the University of Cyprus said that the University of Cyprus, by decision of the Senate, approved in principle the establishment of the School on the condition that the new School will receive the support of the state and will be included in the development budget of the University.
"With the assumption of the duties of the Rectorate on 16 December 2018, an analytical budget for the period 2019 -2030 was prepared by the competent services of the University. The detailed budget was prepared based on the report of the International Advisory Committee for the establishment of the School and concerns, among other things, construction works, the required academic and administrative staff, and equipment," he adds.
He also states that the total cost of establishment and operation for the period 2019-2030 was estimated at 101 million euros, which should not be considered high for such a School with increased needs for laboratory and research space.
He notes that the detailed budget, the timetable for the implementation of the project and a record of the necessary actions to be taken were submitted to the competent bodies of the State in April 2019.
"In order to restore the truth, it should be noted that the Ministry of Education, in a letter dated 27 February 2019 to the University of Cyprus (i.e. before the submission of the detailed budget in April 2019), states that the Ministry of Finance informed it in a letter dated 14 December 2018, "that the State cannot at this time commit to financing the construction of the proposed School". The University of Cyprus considers the field of marine sciences and technology very important," it adds.
It is for this reason, the Rectorate says, that it recently signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the CMMI Centre of Excellence and the Municipality of Larnaca for synergies and housing of University of Cyprus Research Centres specialising in this field in the premises of the Centre of Excellence in Larnaca.
It is for this reason, the Rectorate says, that it recently signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the CMMI Centre of Excellence and the Municipality of Larnaca for synergies and housing of University of Cyprus Research Centres specialising in this field in the premises of the Centre of Excellence in Larnaca.
Finally, the University of Cyprus expresses its willingness to work with the relevant bodies of the State for the implementation of the project, taking into account the actual costs that will be required.
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
