Gregory Xouleis is the President of the community of Pefki, in Ilia. He is also the owner of the village's café-grill, the only place in the village that has internet access. He is the man who was sensitized to make his shop - closed due to the lockdown - available to the students of the area, so that they can connect to the webex electronic platform, which is much sought after by the Minister of Education and the surrounding areas.
There, he has set up an area outside the shop where children gather in the cold and try to learn. And we say try, since the only laptop that Mr. Xuleis had and the 2-3 cell phones that rest on pumpkins are not enough to meet the need. But even if that were the case, the image of 5 children struggling to keep warm while struggling to get an education without the basics does no one any credit.
First and foremost, it does no credit to the authorities who, caught up in their smug and navel-gazing statements, seem detached from reality. It does not honor the state and the competent minister, as already in June the Association of Teachers and Kindergarten teachers of the Pyrgos Region had sent tables to the Ministry of Education and the Department of Primary Education that reflect the needs of school units in technological equipment, as well as the inability of many students to access Internet services. Without any response.
Γ. Xuleis: «I am ashamed of this image of the children»
The president of Pefkis T.K. Mr. Gregory Xouleis speaking to the Morning on the issue that he raised and that consequently highlights the sloppiness with which the Ministry of Education is dealing with the issue of compulsory distance learning says:
“Our village, apart from the various problems it faces, does not have internet and I as the president of the community for a year now have submitted a request that has been protocolized in order for Pefki to have access to the internet, even in the community shop, which as you can understand, especially after the repeated lockdowns, is of particular importance.
All the business and the service of the citizens from the public sector and the farmers is done online and of course the lesson of our children in primary school with tele-education since the schools were closed due to the pandemic. So far I have not received a response, although I have contacted where I could and the responses I got were that other villages do not have one and are waiting their turn to be connected!
So the children of the school who go to primary school in Gumeros, now live in their homes in the village and the parents have found themselves in a dead end because there is no internet to do online lessons, nor do they have a tablet! The only house in the village that has internet is my own shop which is a grill-cafe and is now closed by government order like all health care establishments.
So not being able to see this situation, I have created a little space outside the store where the children sit in the cold now to do lessons, I gave them an old laptop that I had but it is not enough as you understand and the children have a mobile phone. With the same mobile phone three children are trying to have a lesson together! These pictures are a disgrace to everyone!!! Five children in the cold because it is mountainous here and in a few days it will be even colder, trying to learn letters on the street with a mobile phone!!! Please whoever is listening to please make sure that the internet comes quickly to our village and that the ministry gives tablets to the children. I am ashamed with this situation!»
The president of SYRIZA - P.S. Alexis Tsipras also commented on the issue, in a post on the internet.
In detail, the comment of the leader of the opposition:
«This picture is unfortunately not from a third world country. It is from the Greece of the government of the «aristos». Five young students in the cold in front of two mobile phones trying in vain to attend class.
This is the downfall of Mr Mitsotakis and Mrs Kerameos. Unfortunately, however, it is also, at the same time, the country's downfall.
They knew for six months that a second wave was coming.
And instead of preparing themselves, they were admiring themselves.
Instead of reducing the number of students in classes, they increased them.
Instead of making sure that all students were provided with laptops, they were sent canteens and masks - tablecloths.
Instead of strengthening the public online platform, they made dubious contracts with a single provider that is proving to be inadequate.
Once again, the much-vaunted distance learning is turning into a fiasco, leaving students waiting in vain for hours in front of a screen and many parents having lost a day of work and patience.
However, even if it worked perfectly, for thousands of families who do not have the opportunity, do not have the means to cope with their children's tele-education and teleworking at the same time, it would be a gift.
A family of four needs at least two to three computers. Has anyone in the government thought about how many households can afford this money?;
Probably not.
Why?;
Simply because people are out of touch with reality.
It's a good thing they've recently started to understand something, that there are citizens dependent on their salaries...»
The photos come from the online website of Morning.
