High school students protest after heavy-handed punishments

Students at a Nicosia technical school protested outside the gates on Friday morning, demanding the resignation of the headmaster, accusing him of handing out suspensions for no reason.

Meanwhile, the teacher’s association was set to discuss whether three suspended students would be expelled.

Dozens of students, holding placards with slogans about how the principal is bullying students and calling for him to resign, gathered outside the A technical school on the sidewalk of the busy Archbishop Makarios avenue.

The students said headmaster Constantinos Tselepos has handed out suspensions for no particular reason, while many times the reason remains completely unclear to the children since the beginning of the school year.

On Thursday, three students appeared before the disciplinary board after they were suspended for four days on November 7 for bullying a female teacher while the teacher’s association was expected to meet to decide on Friday whether those teenagers would be expelled for good.

Media reported that the education ministry has appointed an official to investigate the recent incidents and complaints of inappropriate behaviour and abuse of power against the principal.

A group of parents have also sent a letter to the education ministry claiming their children have been punished for expressing their opinion.