Teachers register 45,000 absences in 2006

SECONDARY SCHOOL teachers racked up a total of 45,612 absences in the last academic year, costing the state three million pounds, according to one Education Ministry official.

Speaking on Radio Proto on Thursday, head of middle education, Zina Poulli, said the money spent on replacement teachers could have paid for 144 permanent positions for new teachers.

Poulli was speaking in response to the recent wave of criticism against the ministry by secondary teachers’ union OELMEK, which organised a two-hour strike on Thursday, resulting in 4,500 teachers abandoning the last three periods of school.

The 45,612 absences include days off sick, absenteeism and lie-ins. Apart from holidays, teachers are allowed 12 days off for personal reasons and 42 days sick leave. OELMEK secretary Demetris Taliadoros highlighted that the figure was way below that of primary school teachers. Two out of every three replacement teachers used were for primary schools, he said.

The revelation is the latest in an ongoing battle between secondary school teachers and the Education Ministry. OELMEK has accused the ministry of not sticking to its promises and of trying to have a suffocating control over schools.

According to yesterday’s Simerini, the ministry sent out three circulars in September. The first concerned the level of absenteeism in schools, while the other two were about the upcoming Radiomarathon.

OELMEK’s Taliadoros said the first circular insulted the authority and dignity of teachers, while the latter two were part of the ministry’s efforts to micromanage schools by giving more powers to school inspectors.

Poulli was out of the country and unavailable for comment yesterday.

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