On the show “Morning Zone” of Action24 with journalists George Kakousis and Anna Livathinou, was invited to Father Ioannis Papandropoulos, President of the Kythira High School Parents' Association. In his speech, he raised the critical issue of vacant teaching positions at the Kythira Gymnasium, a problem that has created serious shortcomings in the school's educational process.
According to Father John, Since May, new teachers have been appointed for secondary schools., However, several of them, after being sworn in, requested leave due to pregnancy or other personal reasons. The second phase of teacher placements the September faced the same problem, resulting in students have only three hours of class per day, while the rest of the time they are forced to remain in the schoolyard without any educational coverage.
This situation creates a huge educational imbalance on the island, as there is a shortage of key teachers, such as mathematician, theologian, philologist, and physicist, among others. The school administration has addressed to Ministry of Education asking for faster filling in the gaps, as children cannot continue without educational coverage in basic subjects.
Father Ioannis also emphasized the fact that Kythira is located in a remote area, which discourages many teachers from staying on the island. Despite the fact that allowances are offered for the remote location, the high cost of living and difficulties in accessing the island make it an unattractive option for young teachers.
The program also discussed the proposal for digital tutoring centers that could help meet educational needs, but Father Ioannis said that there has been no information about such an initiative in Kythira.
In conclusion, Father John stressed the need for immediate intervention by the Ministry of Education, as the school in Kythira, with approximately 90 students, It cannot function without the necessary staff, while a total of approximately 400 students attend school on the island at all levels.
The journalist Yannis Papagiannis, who participated in the program, noted that the Minister of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, must take initiatives to resolve the problems faced by schools in remote areas, such as Kythira.
