The year-long covid pandemic has increased insecurity, stress and fear to an alarming degree to young children in Cyprus, House Education Committee MPs heard on Wednesday.
This conclusion was analysed before the Committee by Yiannos Ioannou who heads the island’s post-primary education organised parents association.
“Unfortunately, many cases have been recorded this year relating to increased insecurity, stress and fear to an alarming degree. Because children cannot understand social distancing that even relates to close family members who cannot even hug them,” he said.
“That’s why a special protocol is needed immediately to record psychological problems so that they could be tackled in an effective and timely manner,” he added.
The Education Ministry only has 48 psychologists, which means one per 3,000 pupils.
The strong message parents sent out is that emotional instability issues could not be resolved from one day to the next.
And that these will be carried into the classrooms if support measures are not put in place.
