The Elementary School and Kindergarten in Turkish occupied Kormakitis will reopen in September, announced the Minister of Education, Sports, and Youth, Athena Michaelidou, on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, she said that the cabinet decided on the reopening of both the Elementary School and Kindergarten in Kormakitis. "This is a very significant moment because the school has been closed for 20 years. The building had been demolished, rebuilt, and with the decision of the Council of Ministers, it offers the opportunity for children to attend both the Elementary School and Kindergarten. The Ministry of Education and the government support this effort with all means, so that life can be restored in the occupied Kormakitis," she added. Asked how many children will attend from the Maronite community, Michaelidou stated that the number of registrations was low "however, we have indications that this number will increase now with the announcement and the promise of the schools' reopening." The Minister further underlined that the academic year will be 'an evaluation year of the entire project' and in May 2024 the Ministry will review the decision to continue the school's operation. She also said the two schools will follow the curriculum and schedule of the Elementary and Kindergartens in the government-controlled areas of the Republic. "Therefore, all the work is done by the Directorate of Primary Education," she said, adding that they have also taken into account the smooth transportation of books and generally the schools' operation. Each school, she said, will have one main teacher and an additional hourly instructor just like other areas which border with the occupied areas. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island's northern third.
Source: Cyprus News Agency