Erikoussa Primary School temporary closed
Erikoussa Primary School
11 Jan 2023
/ 22:45
CORFU. Since 15 December, the Ministry of Education has not filled the position of the teacher who is on sick leave.
The Erikoussa Primary School has been closed since 15 December due to the teacher's sick leave. The vacancy that has been created has not yet been filled, and as a result, classes for the two children have been suspended since then.
The President of the Association of Primary School Teachers of Primary Education Corfu Antonis Koursaris told Enimerosi that although on December 23 it was announced that substitute teachers would be recruited on 10 January, a teacher for the Erikoussa Primary School was not included in them.
"Even though they know about the vacancy, either it was not asked to fill it or the Ministry of Education did not take care of it. The state is obliged to provide public education and it is a fundamental right of citizens. Education should be a priority for the government and local government, providing incentives for employees and families who want to settle on the border islands," said Mr. Koursaris.
The school
The Erikoussa Primary School was built in 1920, a donation by A. Sygros. That was when education on the island began. According to the school's records, the largest number of pupils was in 1934, when there were exactly 100. According to older people who went to this school, the latter operated both in the morning and afternoon, with the same teacher, as there is only one classroom.
In 2017 it stopped operating after almost a century. However, in 2020 it managed to reopen, spreading joy and hope, to the few permanent residents of Erikoussa.
The number of pupils, however, is limited to single digits. In the school year 2020-2021, there were two pupils, the next year (2021-2022) three, while this year (2022-2023) the number of pupils decreased to two.
A new family
However, as the Erikoussa Deputy Mayor Alexandros Katehis told Enimerosi, a new family with three children recently moved to the island. One of them will go to nursery school and the other one to primary school. "The nursery school teacher remains in her position, while we are expecting a teacher for the primary school," he said.
The President of the Association of Primary School Teachers of Primary Education Corfu Antonis Koursaris told Enimerosi that although on December 23 it was announced that substitute teachers would be recruited on 10 January, a teacher for the Erikoussa Primary School was not included in them.
"Even though they know about the vacancy, either it was not asked to fill it or the Ministry of Education did not take care of it. The state is obliged to provide public education and it is a fundamental right of citizens. Education should be a priority for the government and local government, providing incentives for employees and families who want to settle on the border islands," said Mr. Koursaris.
The school
The Erikoussa Primary School was built in 1920, a donation by A. Sygros. That was when education on the island began. According to the school's records, the largest number of pupils was in 1934, when there were exactly 100. According to older people who went to this school, the latter operated both in the morning and afternoon, with the same teacher, as there is only one classroom.
In 2017 it stopped operating after almost a century. However, in 2020 it managed to reopen, spreading joy and hope, to the few permanent residents of Erikoussa.
The number of pupils, however, is limited to single digits. In the school year 2020-2021, there were two pupils, the next year (2021-2022) three, while this year (2022-2023) the number of pupils decreased to two.
A new family
However, as the Erikoussa Deputy Mayor Alexandros Katehis told Enimerosi, a new family with three children recently moved to the island. One of them will go to nursery school and the other one to primary school. "The nursery school teacher remains in her position, while we are expecting a teacher for the primary school," he said.
