Kindergarten teachers say ministry is ignoring their problems

Kindergarten teachers on Sunday blasted the education ministry for ignoring a number of issues they say has made the start of the new school year very difficult.

“Despite the input from teachers, fully documented in their entirety, about the need to support public kindergartens, ministry of education turns its face away from the problems that its polices have created and leaves the schools burdened with difficulties,” the independent movement of kindergarten teachers Akida said.

“The issues are many and increased by the refusal of the ministry to look at them. They make the start of the year extremely difficult and disrupt the operation of public kindergartens, which also increases the anxiety of the parents,” it added.

Akida said the education ministry refuses to appoint the necessary auxiliary staff for cleaning and supporting the operation of the school, and appointing the necessary number of assistants for children with disabilities,

The health ministry Covid protocols were also unenforceable “and cause confusion and disturbance”, Akida said.

The government made the decision in 2020 to hire 116 nursery school assistants for four hours a day, to ensure the health protocols were met. These assistants also worked throughout the 2021-2022 academic year but have not been rehired.

Kindergartens open on Monday along with primary schools.

For the 2022-2023 school year, 50,038 children will be in primary schools class, 12,803 in public kindergartens and 537 in special schools.

Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou will visit the 1st primary school of Makedonitissa in Nicosia on Monday morning, where he will also make statements.