Coronavirus: Private institutes say new regulations ‘impossible to work by’

Private tutoring institutes said on Monday they cannot reopen under the new government health and safety guidelines, suggesting they were a mockery.

As part of the state’s decision to ease Covid restrictions, the operation of private institutes has been allowed starting Monday, along with other establishments, but under strict health and safety rules, that allow only two people in a classroom, including the teacher. From March 8, private institutes would be allowed to teacher four pupils per classroom.

Chairman of the association Herodotos Neophytou said it would be impossible for them to operate, describing the decision as mockery.

“After almost three months of being closed, they give us one teacher and one pupil, which should not have even been prohibited,” Neophytou said, adding that the increase of pupils next week did nothing to alleviate the situation.

He said if a classroom had eight to 10 pupils, it was impossible to choose who to allow in, on top of it being financially unsustainable to hire extra teachers.

“This thing cannot be implemented and the (health) minister knows it very well,” he said.

Neophytou questioned why restrictions were placed on their institutions while a lot of children went to school as normal.

He said they intended to write to the president and the education and health ministers with their arguments, which are based on logic.

“If they don’t reply with seriousness and rational arguments, we will call on colleagues, parents, and pupils, we will protest outside the presidential palace.”