Sunday, 1 October 2023
A strike will be held on Monday by the Turkish Cypriot Secondary Education Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS) in a number of schools, Kibris Postasi reports.
A statement issued by KTOEÖS, said that there will be a strike in 19 schools on Monday, October 2.
The statement referred to structural problems in schools. There have been 5,000 teaching lost because of teacher shortages, including 25 assistant principals and three school principals. At least 5,000 students will go hungry, the union stated.
Unsafe School Buildings
A number of schools are not resistant to earthquakes, the union stated.
No work is underway to remedy this situation but containers and prefabricated buildings have been placed in the schoolyards.
The class numbers exceeding 40 students indicates a lack of concern. Additionally, there is the problem that some students who do not speak Turkish. The authorities expect teachers to take the extra time to deal with this issue. This is beyond their remit, the union said.
The union stated that it had been warning the ministry and government for months. Meanwhile the authorities only stand by and watch the chaos in schools.
In this context:
We do not accept tasks longer than 20 hours.
We are not at school in the afternoon on the day we are protesting.
We do not take responsibility for students during lunch break.
We do not comply with illegal circulars.
We are leaving WhatsApp groups that are trying to become a legal means of communication.
We will not sign anything without the knowledge of the union management.
Schools Where Strike action will take place on Monday, 02.10.2023:
Bayraktar Secondary School, Bekirpaşa High School, Değirmenlik High School, Democracy Secondary School, Dr. Fazıl Küçük Industrial Vocational High School, Erenköy High School, Esin Leman High School, İrsen Küçük Secondary School, Kurtuluş High School, Lapta Yavuzlar High School, Lefke Gazi High School, Mehmetçik Secondary School, Meral and Vedat Ertüngü High School, Namık Kemal High School, Osman Nejat Konuk Secondary School, Polatpaşa High School, Şehit Turgut Secondary School, Şehit Zeka Çorba Secondary School, Şehit Hüseyin Ruso Secondary School.
