TOMORROW'S SCHOOL HOLIDAY FOR THE ARCHBISHOP'S 'DAY' IS DIVISIVE AGAIN - REACTIONS FROM PARENTS. FROM 2023, GEORGIOS ASKED FOR IT TO BE ABOLISHED - Filenews 22/4 by Evangelia Sizopoulou
This again caused a never-ending discussion on the internet, as several parents raised the issue in various groups expressing their opposition, mainly for two main reasons. One is the difficulty observed in where their children will live, especially when parents cannot take leave and do not have a grandparent who can help and the second reason, the loss of teaching time. In fact, in some cases the comments were particularly intense, with the fire of some being directed at the teachers, whom they targeted, blaming them for "another lost day".
Some of the comments posted were the following:
>> "Teachers are unacceptable with these school holidays. They think we all have so many permits not to work."
>> "It's not enough that they didn't have schools for two weeks due to Easter, they also sit on Thursday for the Archbishop."
>> "Enough of this mockery. We don't all have someone to live with the children."
>> "I will take them to POED to take care of them until I get to school."
Of course, the discussions did not lack the interventions of teachers, through which an attempt was made to give an answer and an explanation of how the situation is with the school holiday in question. Among the comments, we identified several - not only from teachers but also from parents who have an opposite opinion - who mainly focused on the fact that schools and teachers have a role in safeguarding, supervising and employing children should be abandoned.
It is worth noting that the issue of the school holiday on the name day of the Archbishop of Cyprus has been of great concern in recent years, not only during the reign of George but also under the late Archbishop Chrysostomos II, as both of them requested that this school holiday be abolished.
For the record, it is noted that the issue was again strongly in the spotlight in 2023, with Archbishop George calling for its abolition, in order to gain teaching time for students. In fact, at that time, some comments were made and some thoughts were raised, with the Holy Synod in September 2023 talking about mockery regarding a proposal that was being prepared at the Ministry of Education to exchange this holiday with January 7. Something that the Ministry of Education had rejected at the time. But apart from the discussions and the public dialogue, the issue remained there and the school holiday is valid. In order for something to change, there must be consultation.
It is recalled that when Archbishop Chrysostomos II was alive, the holiday was on November 13.
