"Creating illiterate and illiterate children. The responsibilities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State are enormous "

Therapist Therapist - The case of Frenaros Elementary School.

A7970281 AC81 498B A362 1C6CAFACB3B7 OPINION ARTICLE, Education

TOY THERAPON THERAPONTOS *

"Primary Education is the first stage of education and its main goal is to organize, provide and offer to all children - regardless of age, gender, country of origin, marital status, social background and intellectual abilities - such opportunities to develop balanced in the cognitive, emotional and psychomotor field. For this reason, the Directorate of Primary Education is constantly making every effort to continuously improve and upgrade Primary Education. At the same time, it aims at the modernization of teaching methods and approaches, the design and implementation of modern development programs, the increase of remedial teaching and special education programs, the expansion and construction of new schools and, in general, the creation of the infrastructure required for quality educational".

The above statements come from the website of the Ministry of Education and logically one would believe that the Ministry of Education is indeed working intensively in this direction. But is that really so?

On July 5, 2021, 42 parents whose children were in the DG Class of Frenaros Primary School in the school year 2020-21, sent a letter to the District Office of Famagusta, with a notification to the Directorate of Frenaros Primary School, to the General Director of Primary Education, to the Larnaca / Famagusta District Committee for Special Education and Training, to the Chairman and Members of the Parliamentary Education Committee, to the Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of the Child and to the Educational Psychologist of the Larnaca / Famagusta District Office.

In the letter we informed the Ministry that his decision to reduce the three sections of the DG class to two for the new school year 2021-22 as our parents was strongly opposed as if the Ministry proceeded with this decision, it would be the second time that our children would be forced to change within four years school environment, classmates, friends creating irreparable damage to our children, both in learning and in social / psychological level.

Specifically in the letter we emphasized the following:

  1. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, for the last three years our children have been forced to study for a very long time at a distance. The first grades of elementary school are the most important for children, as at these ages children learn reading, writing and math, supplies very important for the next grades of our children. At the same time, children in these classes acquire valuable social skills as they make new friends.
  2. During last year's 2020-21 school year, the classes were divided into three instead of two that were originally in the first grade. This year there is a decision to collapse the departments again into two! The constant changes in the school environment of our children during the first three years of their education have undoubtedly negatively affected the learning level of our children, while a possible new change will isolate them even more.
  3. In these classes attend three children of the special unit where additional support and reinforcement of these children is required.
  4. According to the assessment made by the Ministry itself at the end of last year, 26% of children were diagnosed with illiteracy.
  5. The presence of 25 children in each classroom, together with the children's attendants and teachers, greatly increases the number of people who must be in the already small space of the classroom, violating the relevant protocols set by the Ministry itself to combat of his Pandemic Covid-19!
  6. All of the above make the teacher's job very difficult. We have to be realistic, miracles in the classroom happen very rarely and the Ministry should do what it writes on its website, to "constantly make every effort to continuously improve and upgrade Primary Education".

Why the title? Due to the answers we received from the people who received the letter until today 2/9/21, four days before the teachers return to the schools and the schools have already been staffed as mentioned by Mr. Minister:

  1. Famagusta District Office: NONEanswer
  2. General Director of Primary Education: Telephone communication a few days after receiving the letter. The dialogue was of an exploratory nature as to where the reply letter would be sent. NONEreply was NOT sent.
  3. Address of Frenaros Primary School: NONE answer
  4. Larnaca / Famagusta District Special Education Committee: NONE answer.
  5. Chairman and Members of the Education Committee of the Parliament: NONE answer.
  6. Educational Psychologist of Larnaca / Famagusta District Office: NONEanswer
  7. Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of the Child: He replied on 14 July 2021 where he informed us that “according to the Laws on the Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of the Child 2007 and 2014 [L.74 (I) / 2007 and L.44 (I) / 2014 ] and within the framework of the control role assigned to me by the institutional Law, I monitor and control the compatibility of national legislation, policy decisions and administrative practices by the competent authorities of the public or private sector and I intervene where and when I deem that there is a violation of rights of children, but in no case do I substitute the competent Services.

In relation to the case you are referring to, the materially competent Authority that deals with issues related to the operation of schools is the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, to which you have correctly addressed ". Answer with two very contradictory paragraphs είτε .either you intervene or not!

Eleven days before the children return to school and more NONE answer! The decision of the Ministry to change the structure of the departments of the 25th grade of Frenaros Primary School for the second time in four years (!) And their contraction into two departments with XNUMX+ people in the class does not seem to change. A Ministry that while it seems to set the bar high, in fact throws it to the point where "it picks up its pug". After all, a society with illiterate and uneducated children is something that perfectly serves the society and the State!

* Father of a child who will attend the 2021th Grade of Frenaros Primary School during the School Year 22-XNUMX.

* _The views of the columnists do not represent Famagusta.News_ *