Teachers request that the Regional Director of Education take immediate Covid measures
ELME
22 Nov 2021
/ 18:10
CORFU. ELME (Secondary School Teachers’ Union) and SEPE (Primary School Teachers’ Union) expressed their demands to the Ionian Islands Regional Director of Education.
Representatives of the Corfu SEPE and ELME met today afternoon with the Ionian Islands Regional Director of Education Petros Aggelopoulos and demanded that measures be taken immediately in order to limit the spread of the virus in Corfu schools.
As they said, as part of a protest they held at the Ionian Islands Regional Education Department, since September the two unions – ELME and SEPE – as well as the Parents Association had warned both the government and the Ministry of Education, as well as the local and regional authorities about the upcoming 4th wave of the pandemic and the vital need to take measures for the safe operation of schools.
Not a single measure taken
“11,254 children aged up to 17 have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last week throughout the country and yet the government has taken no measures to limit the spread of the virus in schools. Once again, teachers are on the streets demanding that the government set a smaller number of students in the classrooms and hire more teachers and cleaning staff.
We are demanding that the local government conduct tests for all pupils and teachers, free of charge and repeatedly, especially in the North and South Corfu. We are demanding that the Ionian Islands Region set more frequent bus routes for students so that each school has its own bus. The money is credited to the bank accounts from the two previous years,” said Corfu SEPE President Antonis Koursaris.
According to the Corfu ELME President Achilleas Kapetanios, the government must also take other measures apart from vaccinations. “There were neither fewer students, nor more classrooms, nor free tests to all vaccinated and unvaccinated pupils and teachers, so that we know the exact situation of the schools,” he said.
The demands
During the meeting with Mr. Aggelopoulos, the two Corfu Teachers' Unions presented their demands, asking for immediate measures to be taken, in order to ensure that schools remain safe and open. More specifically, they demand tests in schools conducted by EODY for all teachers, pupils and employees, permanent EODY teams and staffing of the North and South Corfu Health Centres, less pupils per classroom, immediate recruitment of teachers, in order to fill all the existing vacancies, and special leave for all teachers belonging to vulnerable groups.
Regional Director's concern
The Regional Director of Education also expressed his concern about the increase in Covid cases in schools, noting that EODY reported a total of 1,126 cases in Corfu in the last two weeks and that there is an increase in school Covid cases.
“Indeed, there is an increase in cases. The existing measures are certainly not enough. Masks and frequent testing are 70% helpful. The measures you are suggesting with less pupils in classrooms would be an additional measure. To do that, of course, you would need classrooms and teachers. Instead, in the last few months we have had addition of more pupils to classrooms. Fortunately, however, in the Ionian Islands we had only a few of these and, in several cases, were able to avoid them,” said Mr. Aggelopoulos.
As they said, as part of a protest they held at the Ionian Islands Regional Education Department, since September the two unions – ELME and SEPE – as well as the Parents Association had warned both the government and the Ministry of Education, as well as the local and regional authorities about the upcoming 4th wave of the pandemic and the vital need to take measures for the safe operation of schools.
Not a single measure taken
“11,254 children aged up to 17 have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last week throughout the country and yet the government has taken no measures to limit the spread of the virus in schools. Once again, teachers are on the streets demanding that the government set a smaller number of students in the classrooms and hire more teachers and cleaning staff.
We are demanding that the local government conduct tests for all pupils and teachers, free of charge and repeatedly, especially in the North and South Corfu. We are demanding that the Ionian Islands Region set more frequent bus routes for students so that each school has its own bus. The money is credited to the bank accounts from the two previous years,” said Corfu SEPE President Antonis Koursaris.
According to the Corfu ELME President Achilleas Kapetanios, the government must also take other measures apart from vaccinations. “There were neither fewer students, nor more classrooms, nor free tests to all vaccinated and unvaccinated pupils and teachers, so that we know the exact situation of the schools,” he said.
The demands
During the meeting with Mr. Aggelopoulos, the two Corfu Teachers' Unions presented their demands, asking for immediate measures to be taken, in order to ensure that schools remain safe and open. More specifically, they demand tests in schools conducted by EODY for all teachers, pupils and employees, permanent EODY teams and staffing of the North and South Corfu Health Centres, less pupils per classroom, immediate recruitment of teachers, in order to fill all the existing vacancies, and special leave for all teachers belonging to vulnerable groups.
Regional Director's concern
The Regional Director of Education also expressed his concern about the increase in Covid cases in schools, noting that EODY reported a total of 1,126 cases in Corfu in the last two weeks and that there is an increase in school Covid cases.
“Indeed, there is an increase in cases. The existing measures are certainly not enough. Masks and frequent testing are 70% helpful. The measures you are suggesting with less pupils in classrooms would be an additional measure. To do that, of course, you would need classrooms and teachers. Instead, in the last few months we have had addition of more pupils to classrooms. Fortunately, however, in the Ionian Islands we had only a few of these and, in several cases, were able to avoid them,” said Mr. Aggelopoulos.
