The Pancyprian Confederation of Parents Associations of Primary Education made new shocking accusations against teachers suspected of sexual abuse.
According to the confederation’s chairman Morfakis Solomonides, the first case has already gone to the police, while the second is being currently examined, though the child’s parents were urged to make a formal accusation against the offending teachers. The accusations revolve around inappropriate behaviour and harrassment in primary schools.
According to Mr Solomonides, the system currently in use is complicated and anachronistic and an immediate change is needed: ‘From time to time and in the recent past, letters from parents complaining over the inadequacy of teachers, inappropriate behavior, or even sexual abuse, have reached us. Complaints have been made by school principals to both the Ministry of Education and the police. Flexible procedures that allow moving such teachers from school to school without any other kind of punishment should not be allowed to exist anymore’, he added.
Mr Solomonides also stated that a new assessment system for teachers, in which students and parents can also take part, should be put in place. He added that the Confederation called for hiring medical workers in each school and aims to initiate dialogue between all competent authorities and interested parties in order to examine the problems related to health and safety issues in schools.
