Meetings to be held about schools after parents up in arms over closures (updated

Meetings will be held in the coming days to examine ways for the safe return of pupils to schools as soon as possible, the head of the government advisory team on Covid said on Saturday.

Dr Constantinos Tsioutis did not rule out pupils returning before the end of the month.

The government on Friday decided to suspend the return of high-school pupils (classes one to three) because of the surge in infections. It also decided to close all primary schools in virus hotspot Limassol. These measures are to stay in place until March 31.

Tsioutis said he has undertaken an initiative to hold talks with all involved in a bid to find ways so that pupils could return to their classrooms.

He said in the past year schools around the world had been forced to close and then reopen many times because of the pandemic.

There is accumulated experience now so that, through dialogue, they will be able to find a way for pupils and teachers to return “in the safest way possible”, Tsioutis said.

He said his team had specific suggestions in mind, but they wanted to hear from parents and teachers.

“We are talking about places which have opened two times since May last year and these people – parents and teachers – have gained experience in organising the children’s spaces, the school day, but they also have experience through the management of incidents,” he said.

“These meetings will be set in the next days, whenever everyone can.”

Tsioutis said parents were right to worry about their children since after so much time mental and social issues were starting to arise.

“Essentially, we are in the second school year that has been affected by the pandemic and teachers are also right to worry about the academic year and safety in schools.”

Secondary school parents associations were up in arms over the government decision on Saturday, suggesting their children were unfairly treated compared with pupils in other classes.

“The decision is incomprehensible to us and it lacks common sense and human sensitivity,” a statement said.

The parents suggested that the government decision essentially conveyed the message to pupils that they would be the cause of an outbreak “without considering the negative effects their protracted stay at home is causing.

“There are no epidemiological data substantiating their decision since gymnasium pupils have been at home since December 15, 2020,” the parents said.

“It appears the practice of protesting outside the presidential palace has a positive outcome in most cases,” they added, referring to protests by restaurant and café owners, as well as gyms.

The parents said they would also hold a protest if necessary “along with the thousands of members and society’s support.”

While the government decided not to open gymnasiums across the Republic and to shut down all primary schools in Limassol on Friday it allowed the opening of hospitality venues provided they served customers outdoors.