Teachers, students test positive for coronavirus

FIVE students and two teachers have tested positive for Covid-19, National Education and Culture Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu announced on Wednesday. The cases were at state and private schools, Mr Çavuşoğlu said, although he did not give the dates they were recorded.

The Covid-19 positive pupils were from 9 Eylül Primary School, Levent Primary School, Near East Primary School, Atatürk Business High School and Demokrasi Secondary School.

The two teachers were from Değirmenlik Primary

School and Near East College, according to Mr Çavuşoğlu’s statement.

He said that “extra measures” had been taken according to the “Additional Measures During the Pandemic Period” handbook given to schools.

However lessons at Değirmenlik Primary School were suspended until at least Monday pending the outcome of PCR tests on teachers, students and nonteaching staff. Schools were closed on Thursday, which was a public holiday.

Primary Education Department Director Hakkı Başarı said: “One teacher [at Değirmenlik Primary School] tested positive last Sunday. Healthcare workers went to the school on Tuesday and conducted PCR tests. . . Education at Değirmenlik Primary School has been suspended in case there are other cases due to contact. Students will not go to school on Friday [yesterday]. PCR tests will be repeated for teachers.

“Education will continue from Monday if all the results come back negative.”

Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union president Tahir Gökçebel accused the government of failing to take sufficient measures for faceto-face education, which resumed earlier this month.

“The pandemic is still continuing,” Mr Gökçebel said. “Our members, parents and students should be informed [about Covid-19 cases in schools]. In order to overcome this period with a minimum of harm, the government and the minister should give people confidence.

“There is no alternative to face-to-face education. In order to continue, the government and the [Education] Ministry should fulfil their duties.

“A safe school is a hygienic place that provides health services to students and workers, provides a balanced diet, where social distancing is applied, and provides social activities that will help students to develop mentally and physically.

“The [Education] Ministry and the government have to create a safe environment for parents, students and teachers who are experiencing fear of the [corona]virus, financial difficulties, unemployment and uncertainty.”

Mr Gökçebel added that “protective and sustainable measures are a must” for classroom-based learning because children can be carriers of Covid-19 “without showing any symptoms”.