According to the new information from the Ministry of Education and the POED, no return to Primary Schools and Kindergartens in May will be made.
As the General Secretary of POED, Haris Charalambous, told Offsite, "Primary and kindergartens will not return to classes in May" while if the children return to school, it will be done gradually and partially in June. As Mr. Charalambous noted, the difficulty is even greater in the case of kindergartens and special schools.
"After the teleconference that took place today with the Minister of Education, it seems to clarify that the reopening of schools in Primary Education with the return of children, is not placed in the second phase of relaxation of measures. If children return to school, it will be done gradually and partially in June. It is extremely difficult to open kindergartens and impossible to open special schools. As a POED, we have expressed our readiness and willingness to contribute with suggestions to the planning of returning to schools, if and when this is decided ".
As Mr. Charalambous noted regarding e-learning, nothing changes, that is, teachers continue to send material to children. The POED with yesterday's announcement gives detailed instructions to teachers.
More specifically, as mentioned in the announcement:
Ε The POED had requested a specific teleconference with the Minister of Education, after the instructions to its members not to apply the sudden, unexplained, but also unilateral instructions of the Ministry of Education, which were sent to the e-mail addresses of the schools with Circular No. Facsimile 21.11.06, dated 23 April 2020 on "2nd phase of distance education". The meeting, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, April 30, 2020, has unfortunately not yet taken place.
Π The POED continues to consider that this circular is not in line with what has been agreed between the POED and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the last meeting held on April 9, in which the POED and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had agreed on the following:
Σύγχρο The modern distance education through the MS TEAMS program that is planned to start in the next grade and in the sixth grade, will start only when all the needs of the children in technological and other necessary equipment of both are covered by the Ministry of Education. of these classes. Thus, there will be no discrimination and / or exclusion of children from this innovative action.
● The modern distance education program, its content and the way it will be done will be the subject of discussion and agreement with the POED, with the ultimate goal of defining a common framework in which all schools will operate, something that was not done . At the same time, we note that even today, about 2000 students in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth grade do not have suitable work equipment for modern education, according to data collected by the POED from school principals.
■ Taking into account the discussions with the Organized Parents, the new commitments of the Ministry of Education and Science and its admission that the devices have not yet been sent to schools and that they will be sent next week, but also in general the developments that followed, the POED after at yesterday's meeting of the Board of Directors, decided the following regarding the continuation of distance education:
● Distance education in ED and F:
Modern distance education can be applied in these classes based on the instructions of the Ministry of Education, with all the students who have access. The Ministry of the Interior is solely responsible for the cases of children who, due to lack of appropriate work equipment, cannot participate. We call the Ministry of Education as soon as possible to cover these needs so that ALL CHILDREN have equal access.
● Distance education for A - D:
To continue the asynchronous education as it was applied until today. The communication between teacher and student for emotional support or solving questions (not for teaching), to continue with the legal means and the way that each teacher has chosen to communicate with his students, depending on the needs of his class and the action plan of his school unit.
● New Learning Objectives:
We call on the Ministry of Education to clarify immediately whether we are moving forward with new learning goals. In case the Ministry of Education continues not to clarify the issue, then we consider the teachers to have the opportunity to proceed on the basis of their pedagogical autonomy. With the resumption of children's schooling, the Ministry of Education should review and redesign learning objectives (indicators of success / competence in SEN) and in general the material, based on what the children have been taught in the classroom. Therefore, the educational process should be adapted accordingly and based on what was taught in the classrooms.
. Regarding the directive for mandatory discussion of the programs of Educational Television with organization of teleconferences with students on a daily basis, the POED continues to disagree with the way that the Ministry of Education suggests its utilization. Educational television should continue to be an additional complementary and supportive medium, without affecting the daily educational process that each teacher applies to his / her classroom.
● For Special Education we expect clear instructions from the Ministry of Education, both for children who need Special Education and Speech Therapy in the General Classroom, and for children who attend Special Schools. The Ministry of Education should find a way to overcome any "legal difficulties" that exist and prohibit visual contact between teachers and students, in cases where it is deemed absolutely necessary for teachers to be able to perform their work.
● In Pre-Primary Education, the asynchronous education program continues based on the Action Plan prepared by each school.
. The creation of Websites in primary schools and kindergartens is the exclusive responsibility of the Ministry of Education. The Website is a means of distance learning asynchronous, but not the only one nor mandatory. Other ways and means that have been included in the action plans of the approved school units can be used.
Source: offsite.com.cy