Limassol schools ‘look like barns’, say visiting MPs

MEMBERS of the House education committee took a trip to Limassol on Friday to witness first hand some of the serious problems schools face, branded as unacceptable for the 21st century by chairman Georgios Tassou.

At the Linopetra primary school, he said over “the last two years pupils and teachers are troubled in a school that we can literally call a barn, in every sense of the word.”

It is unacceptable that in the 21st century, ceilings in the school are leaking, with teachers forced to place buckets in their classrooms and several things in the building not working that generally create an image that does not honour the island, he said.

Two years ago, a contractor was hired to repair the building but stopped due to financial problems.

“We have demanded from the education ministry and the technical services to immediately move forward by calling for tender a new contractor so the repair of this school can begin, but it is a pity for our children.”

According to Tassou, he has been reassured that a contract will be signed within the next few days guaranteeing the work will be completed within two years.

Committee members also visited Ypsonas high school that faces serious problems in accommodating all the students, where at least five new classrooms are needed.

The three primary schools in the area and the two public pre-schools are overcrowded as, according to Ypsonas mayor Aristos Palouzas, the area has seen the largest increase in population across Cyprus by 73 per cent from 2001 until 2011.

Palouzas stressed the need to create a fourth primary school and was told by the technical services that by November there would be a call for tender for six new classrooms for the third primary school in the area.

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