School year begins in Cyprus primary education

Around 51 thousand pupils returned to schools on Thursday as primary and pre-primary schools opened in the southern government controlled areas of Cyprus.

Students of tertiary and technical education will begin their school year on Monday, 8 September.

Schools at the Turkish occupied village of Rizokarpaso however remained closed on Thursday since the Turkish Cypriot occupation regime did not give permission to the teachers, appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture, to cross to the north, nor did the regime allow the transportation to the north of this year’s text books.

According to the Minister of Education and Culture Andreas Demetriou, the 2008-2009 school year begins with good prospects since all teacher appointments have been made while construction work underway at schools will continue well into the year.

He also said that text books for this year are already at schools.

One of the aims, he added, is to give clarifications to teachers about a Ministry circular outlining the new school year’s objectives, which provide for ways to teach school children more about the Turkish Cypriot community.

Regarding the problems at the schools in Turkish occupied Rizokarpaso, Demetriou said all arrangements had been made and books were ready to be delivered. However the government is waiting for the occupation regime to give the green light.

The Pancyprian Organisation of Greek Teachers (POED), in a statement, appealed to all parties involved as well as the European Union and the United Nations to do everything possible so that Rizokarpaso school children are able to attend classes and enjoy unhindered the right to education.