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- Ελληνικά
The continuing extremely high temperatures that have been prevailing in Cyprus in recent days as a result of climate change, have made me very concerned and concerned about the conditions created in school facilities. The conditions are far from humane learning and working conditions and create serious impacts primarily on the health and safety of children, as well as on the educational process of both children and teachers.
My Office started investigating the issue of installing air conditioning devices in public schools in 2018, calling for comprehensive future plans regarding the air conditioning of school buildings, including children's classrooms, in a way that would ensure that the air conditioning of the school buildings, including children's classrooms, would be fully implemented in the future. However, six years later, the minimum necessary measures to upgrade public schools in relation to providing adequate classroom conditions for children and teachers have still not been implemented.
The circular of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth (MESY), to which the Guidelines of the Medical and Public Health Services of the Ministry of Health were merely attached, offers no inclusive solution or measures to schools and teachers to effectively address the debilitating conditions created in classrooms.
The statements about the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs planning to install air conditioners in all schools over a three-year period is, in my judgment, problematic and disproportionate to the extreme weather events that have occurred in recent years and the risks that affect the exercise of children's rights. I consider it at least inadequate on the part of the State to expect that children and teachers are required to endure these conditions for years to come.
I also have reservations about the reports on secondary schools. A few thousand children of the third grade are expected to sit for the Pancyprian Access Examinations in the coming days, and I do not consider it a responsible attitude on the part of the competent authorities that those measures have not been taken which would ensure a suitable and healthy environment for the conduct of these examinations, for which the children have been preparing intensively and with so much effort for a year.
I once again call upon the State and in particular the Ministry of Education and Science to immediately take all those necessary measures to ensure proper educational conditions in school facilities that guarantee children's right to health, well-being and education. It is imperative that ways be found, and I believe that the option of bypassing bureaucratic, financial or other obstacles is provided, to immediately take other alternative measures to alleviate and mitigate the situation in school establishments, as well as in all classrooms where the National Entrance Examinations will be held.
(OP/NYAN)
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