Coronavirus: Strike at overcrowded school also used as rapid test site

Students at the Ayios Theodoros gymnasium in Paphos did not go to class for two hours on Monday morning, with the backing of the parents’ association, in protest over the use of a multipurpose room for rapid tests.

President of the parents’ association George Georgiou told the Cyprus News Agency that parents are fully supportive of the students’ decision to skip the first two hours of school.

“There are several other buildings and spaces that could be used and reserved for rapid tests.

“Unfortunately, the education ministry is taking some decisions without discussing them first with us and they are also turning out to be bad ones,” he said, as the school doubles as a testing site on a daily basis.

He added that it is unacceptable to displace students, especially this year when they spent more time at home and out of school.

Georgiou also complained about the size of the classrooms. He said that the Ayios Theodoros school currently counts around 600 students, which should be divided into 25 individual classes.

“However, the available classrooms are only 16. There are two more classrooms, but they cannot accommodate more than 22 students, so they are not fit for use.

“The school was built with a provision for 16 classes, which translates to about 400 students. In September 2020, the education ministry promised us they would look into the situation. We are nearing the end of the school year and nothing has been done yet,” Georgiou said.

He urged the government to look into the situation and to stop carrying out rapid tests at the school in order not to disrupt anymore classes.