Portacabins being used to temporarily house classrooms at Lapithos’ Yavuzlar high school have been placed on a dried-up river bed, Cyprus Turkish secondary education teachers’ union (Ktoeos) chairwoman Selma Eylem said on Thursday.
Speaking at a visit to the school, she said the fact that the portacabins had been placed on a dried-up river bed “poses a danger”, especially in the event of a flood.
At the same time, she called into question figures given by ‘education minister’ Nazim Cavusoglu regarding the cost of the portacabins.
Cavusoglu had said on Wednesday that a total of 218 portacabins had been placed in schools across the north in preparation for the forthcoming academic year, at a total cost of 48.8 million TL (€1.3m).
However, Eylem said the figure was likely “higher than stated”.
“How many schools could he have built with this money? How many classrooms and buildings could he have built? He should come out and explain all of this,” she added.
To this end, she said that despite the academic year beginning on Monday, “schools are not in a condition to open,” as there is “a shortage of buildings as well as teacher staff.”
“[Cavusoglu] tells us beautiful tales as if everything is fine. He makes fun of our minds,” she said.
Meanwhile, fellow teachers’ trade union Ktos secretary-general Burak Mavis visited Lefka, expressing his dismay that the Pentayia primary school will begin a second successive academic year in portacabins.
The school underwent earthquake inspections just a week before the beginning of the last academic year, with the building being found to be unsafe. As such, four portacabins were placed in the school’s playground.
Mavis also pointed out that of the 218 portacabins placed in schools in the north, 90 are in primary schools, and added, “this is not a situation worthy of praise”.
The visit to Lefka comes after it was learned that the historic Lefka Gazi high school is set to begin its 75th year with classes taking place in portacabins.
A total of 21 portacabins have been erected at the school to house its 350 pupils, with the existing school building set to be demolished in February next year.
Earthquake safety reports were written on all school buildings in the north following the deadly earthquakes which hit southeastern Turkey last year.
Schools where buildings have been deemed dangerous have been moved to portacabins, though Mavis had earlier criticised their extensive use.
“Portacabins have ceased to be a means to an end and have been turned into an end goal. They have even been placed in schools where the buildings are structurally sound but that are overcrowded,” he said.
