Coronavirus: Paphos parents concerned over measures at schools

Covid measures at schools must not disrupt learning for unvaccinated or pupils who have tested positive, the federation of Paphos secondary school parents’ associations said on Wednesday.

Head Christodoulos Demetriou told the Cyprus News Agency that while parents support any measures required to keep their children safe from the virus, they ask that children who remain unvaccinated are not negatively targeted, “considering the epidemiologists and health ministry say that vaccination is a choice”.

The parents’ demand, he said, is that unvaccinated pupils and those self-isolating after being diagnosed or identified as contacts, continue to receive the proper education, either remotely or on a hybrid basis.

He added that he was pleased some teachers are making the most of the technology at their disposal, wherever available, to hold hybrid lessons, “which have been proven to be the best method for remote teaching”.

“Of course we support in-person teaching, because closing schools will cause huge problems on an educational, social, and mental basis.”

Demetriou said that Paphos has 16 secondary and technical schools, which have been a great concern since the start of the pandemic as most are overpopulated.

He added that there are studies for infrastructural and technological upgrades for many of these schools, “which were proven vital during the pandemic”.

Parents are also calling for this year’s four-monthly exams to be suspended, taking into account the effects of the pandemic on learning and pupil’s mental health, and the possibility of more school closures.

As for the Pancyprian exams, Demetriou said that parents are suggesting they are held like last year’s but that the material is reassessed according to the syllabus covered and productive teaching time.