The Ministry of Education took every measure it could to deal with the pandemic in schools, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, Prodromos Prodromou, told the Cyprus News Agency after the one-hour work stoppage held by the PDOED on Monday.
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In his remarks, Mr. Prodromou said that, in relation to the request for ventilation of classrooms, the Epidemiological Team's guidelines for open doors and windows were being followed.
He added that a study was conducted last year to install ventilation systems in schools, but because it envisaged demolition of the buildings, it was deemed unfeasible. Instead, Prodromou continued, a study was launched together with the University of Cyprus, under which cleaning devices have been piloted in about 100 classrooms. This is an ongoing process, he said.
Regarding the issue of replacements, the Minister noted that between September 2021 and the end of January 2022, the Education Service Commission (ESC) has proceeded with 4.500 replacements.
With regard to kindergartens, Prodromou said that a meeting was held last week with the Minister of Health, the educational organizations (PDOED, OELMEK, OLTEK) and organized parents. At the meeting the request was made to conduct rapid tests in kindergartens as well. The Minister of Health forwarded this recommendation to the Epidemiological Group. Without the approval of the Epidemiological Group, rapid tests cannot be conducted, he said.
In addition, he said that 116 teaching assistants have been assigned to kindergartens on an emergency basis to assist the work of kindergarten teachers. This was done last year and this year to facilitate the kindergartens, he said.
In primary schools, Prodromou said, many more positions for teachers have been given (170 in number) while there are 67 fewer classes this year because there is a lot of pressure and a lot of emergency work because of the pandemic.
"We took every measure in our power", the Minister noted, adding that cooperation is needed and that we should do our best to keep the schools running. "We do not accept that schools are unprotected states because - compared to what is happening internationally - our schools have been able to function. We implemented protection measures, we did hundreds of thousands of tests every day in all schools," Prodromou concluded.
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