The Minister of Education, Prodromos Prodromou, described as "sad" the fact that parents deprive their children of education because they disagree with the use of a mask or with the diagnostic tests and asked "to reconsider".
In statements during his visit to the Cyprus Institute, Mr. Prodromou said that the operation of the schools continues normally and referred to the decisions of the Council of Ministers, on Monday, to start a vaccination program for the younger ages. He also expressed his satisfaction for the cooperation of the Ministry of Education with the teachers and the organized parents so that the schools remain open.
In statements to journalists, the Minister stated that "we have managed to operate our schools with the physical presence of students. Of course the pandemic is here, we need to be careful, we monitor the operation of the schools every day ".
Addressing the small portion of parents, which, as he said, concerns a percentage of 1% -2%, who do not send their children to schools, either because they do not want to use the mask, or the diagnostic tests, Mr. Prodromou said that "none of us it can not deprive children of education ".
The appeal, he continued, "is to accept this condition in which we are all disciplined, no one wants to wear the mask, but it is a measure of protection and children, especially in primary schools who are not vaccinated, will be well protected."
We continue the normal operation of the schools and already yesterday the Council of Ministers decided to start a vaccination program for the younger ages, he added.
"Here we are today and with the pandemic affecting the whole world, our defense is the medically appropriate solutions, the vaccination and the daily instructions and precautions with all the measures applied in the schools", added Mr. Prodromou in his statements.
He described as "sad" the fact that few parents "go so far as to deprive their children of education".
He also clarified that it is not a matter of legal measures "since there is a legal obligation for everyone for children under 15 to be in school, this is an obligation of both the state and the parents".
The Minister of Education, said the Minister, should "think about it and reconsider it, not only for any legal consequences" but also for the fact that they deprive their children of both learning and presence and socialization with them. their peers ".
Asked if the Ministry of Education would make complaints, he said that the Ministry does not do anything about this issue, adding that it is a legal obligation to always notify, whether we have a pandemic or not, the police if a child is out of school for a certain period of time. , and the police are addressing the issue.
"This law is applied independently of the Ministry of Education," he concluded.
(ΚΥΠΕ / ΤΒ / ΑΓΚ)