Concerns have been raised about the handling of medical emergencies in schools after a student at Ayios Neophytos Lyceum in Paphos reportedly suffered a hypoglycaemic episode during an exam and did not receive appropriate support from teachers.

“Although I immediately informed the invigilators, I was not granted the necessary recovery time or any alternative facility,” the 15-year-old student said.

She explained that during a written mathematics exam on May 16, she experienced symptoms of hypoglycaemia, including blurred vision, exhaustion and mental confusion. In response, she stepped outside the exam room to drink juice she had prepared for such emergencies.

However, she claims that despite informing the school of her chronic Type 1 diabetes mellitus condition earlier in the year, the time spent recovering was not added to her overall exam duration.

“Although I immediately informed the invigilators, I was not granted the necessary recovery time or any alternative facility”, the 15-year-old said.

The Ayios Neophytos Lyceum told the Cyprus Mail that it could not comment on the incident but referred inquiries to the Director of Secondary Education, Nikolas Giasoumis.

“The girl was given the support during the exam that we have to give,” Giasoumis said.

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou, speaking to ANT1 on Wednesday, maintained that the school had provided the necessary support and confirmed that the student had, in fact, been granted additional time to complete the exam.

“There is no reason for her to enter the second series of exams,” the minister said, adding that the priority for both parents and children should be well-being rather than grades, and emphasising that the student had a generally good performance in school.

The student, however, claimed that when she approached the school principal, she was met with an ironic and dismissive attitude. She said the principal allegedly suggested that he could not know whether she had staged the episode.

Feeling unheard, she decided to bring the incident to public attention by reaching out to media outlets and the education minister directly.

“I have provided all the medical certificates since the beginning of the school year,” the student said, stressing that the school was aware of her chronic health condition. She added that, according to her doctor, “in case of hypoglycaemia I would be entitled to an extension of time.”

Her request to retake the exam during the second sitting was rejected on the grounds of “equivalence,” she said. When she attempted to attend the exam on Wednesday despite the rejection, she was denied entry.

Minister Michaelidou said a full investigation into the matter was ongoing.

“We are, above all, concerned with the mental and physical health of the students,” she noted.