Parents in the Karpas peninsula village of Ayios Andronikos are up in arms over a lack of teachers at the village’s primary school.

Despite the school year having now begun two months ago, the north’s ‘education ministry’ has not yet assigned a fourth grade teacher to the school, meaning that children in the fourth grade are forced to attend “combined” classes with children younger than them.

In the north, the fourth grade is the final year of primary school and is attended by children aged nine and 10.

Given the lack of teacher, parents of fourth graders in the village have decided to not send their children to school, saying their children’s “right to education has been violated”, and demanding that a teacher be assigned as soon as possible.

Esat Nurcin, chairman of the school’s parents’ association, told newspaper Kibris on Thursday that the academic year began with a “teacher shortage” and said this issue “has not been solved, despite the ministry’s promises”.

“They told us a teacher would not be assigned because the number of pupils is low. We do not accept this. The school’s needs are met by the parents and the [Yialousa and Rizokarpaso] municipality. All the ministry has to do is its own job, and send us some teachers,” he added.

He added that parents’ protests would continue until a teacher was assigned to the school, while other parents told the newspaper their children are going into exams unprepared and that they are not receiving a quality education.

One parent lamented that even though fourth grade exams are set to begin next week, “our children have not learned anything yet” this academic year. Another criticised the perceived “unequal” treatment of different schools in different parts of the north by the ‘ministry’

Nurcin’s predecessor Hasim Baykut said the shortage of teachers in the village “has been going on for years”.

He said that there should be nine teachers at the school, but that there are currently only five on staff.

“This deficiency is repeated every year. We will continue to take action if necessary for our children’s future,” he said.