A PILOT scheme whereby 10 primary schools across the island will participate in all-day schooling has been welcomed by parents and teachers.
The supervising inspector of elementary schools at the Education Ministry, Elpidoforos Neocleous, said that timetables would run from 7.30am to 4pm, rather than 1pm, which is the current norm. The scheme, for children between the ages of six and 12, will begin in September and last three years.
“The rapid changes that occur in all levels of our society unavoidably cause a series of changes in the institution of the primary school,” Neocleous said.
“The new social status emerging from these changes, together with the concept of education as a whole, demands a vital and important reform of the Cypriot educational system, which will include new upgraded conditions and learning procedures, new learning objectives, upgraded infrastructure and adjustable time schedules.”
According to a Ministry press release, the all-day school: “Promotes the multi-sided personal and social development of the pupils and will give them the opportunity to receive more and better guidance from their teachers and other qualified school staff. The curriculum will be enriched with subjects that will satisfy the pupils’ interests and with activities that will promote their social skills, creativity, love for knowledge and research ability. Pupils will also be given the opportunity better to prepare and organise their physical and artistic activities, which will eventually enrich the whole of their school lives.
“It will also solve the problem that working parents face as to where their children will go after the end of regular, morning school.
“Finally, it will bring to an end pupils’ tendency to commit crime as they will be focusing on school activities and will have no time to develop any kind of anti-social behaviour.”
Asked whether the longer hours might lead to children becoming over-tired or bored, Neocleous said: “I don’t think that will be the case. Timetables will be flexible so children won’t be stuck in the classroom all the time.”
The President of the Primary School Teachers’ Union (POED), Demetris Mikellides, told the Cyprus Mail that the timetable must not be too heavy. “We are in dialogue with the Education Ministry in order to find a formula which is best for the children,” he said, adding that teachers would work two shifts. “One will be from 7.30am to 1pm, with the other running from 10.30am until 4pm.”
He added that teachers’ pay would not really be affected, “but we need to agree on several conditions with the Ministry.”
Another factor under discussion is where and under what conditions the children will have their lunch. “In the summer, it’s so hot that the Ministry must ensure that schools have the appropriate facilities to keep children cool during their lunch break.”
He also said that there were other things the Ministry still needed to do, “and they only have a short time to do it in. We are positive though.”
The deputy head of the Pancyprian Primary School Parents’ Association was in favour of the all-day school. Neoclis Papatheodoulou said: “It’s a very good idea as it will help our children spend more time learning and there will be extra computer, maths and English lessons.”
He also said that the extra hours must be used constructively, adding that one benefit of the extra time spent at schools would will be that, “children will have more free time to spend at home with their families during the evenings”.
