Students on trip to Greece outraged over filthy hotels

Nicosia pupils on an annual trip to Greece needed to change accommodation due to the poor conditions at their pre-booked hotels.

Secondary school administrators on Wednesday issued an announcement stating that the students had been transferred to other hotels within the city of Thessaloniki, where they had arrived for their annual end-of-year trip.

According to media reports, the hotels were dirty, rundown and infested with cockroaches.

“The hotel was awful, there were roaches and vermin, electric sockets with wires hanging from them, the toilets were dirty and the tables filthy,” one parent complained. “The students don’t want to shower or eat at the hotel because they’re disgusted and they’re buying food from kiosks.”

Minister of Education Athena Michaelidou said the matter was being investigated and was brought up on the side lines of a meeting which took place on Wednesday with school administrators in Strovolos.

“An investigation is already being carried out by the secondary school administration, which is in communication with the agency that undertook to organise the excursion,” the minister said.

The minister added that all excursions will be scrutinised and the responsibilities held by organisers –the ministry, parents and agencies – would be determined, so as to avoid such incidents in future.

While the exact outcome of investigation is not yet known, the minister said, nonetheless, the agency that chose the hotel bears a lot of the responsibility.