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This month, I’ll talk about some of the problems
regarding the education area within our Demos.
Unfortunately, the progress in our schools, from a building-related view
alone, and in spite of all the honorable and ambitious efforts of our new
municipal government, is on an agonizingly lacking track. It expresses the
indifference and lack of sensitivities towards education by the national
government of the moment.
So
far, I have perceived the following cases within the first and second level
education realm.
1 –
Gournes Kindergarten: Its relocation was deemed necessary, as the Gouves
high school had to expand to house its bulging student body. The solution
was prefabricated classrooms (the cement bases of which were paid for by the
Demos) which were received immediately after the elections, was voted by
part of the kindergarten parents association as acceptable only as a
temporary measure. A more permanent, and better, solution is being sought at
the moment.
2 –
Kokkini Hani Grammar School: Here, the future is sketchy and uncertain, as
the realization of the much-promising architectural rendering (on land given
by the Demos) was transferred from the School Building Association
Ο.Σ.Κ.
to the Co-operative of Public and Private
Sectors Σ.Δ.Ι.Τ.,
which means wait and see. Presently,
this school continues to operate its classes in three separate
buildings and, of course, under the continuing protection of the rays
from the mobile phone companies’ antennae which surround those three
buildings.
3 –
Gouves Grammar School: Its ever-increasing needs are temporarily met by the
two prefabricated classrooms, which were received together with those of the
kindergarten school.
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4 – Iraklion Music School:
Logically, all the work needed to complete the two groups of buildings on
the base grounds will, at some point, come to an end, especially after the
12.5 million euro subsidy announced recently by Governor Skinaraki, as a
portion of that subsidy is anticipated to cover the cost of the two building
groupings in Gournes.
5 – The Iraklion School of Arts: Here, the permanency of
the temporary reigns. Luckily, the green light was received after the
intervention of Governor Skinaraki – following demonstrations and meetings
by students and parents who had arrived at their wits’ end due to
non-availability of buildings and teaching staff. The governor has granted
the temporary use of the newly renovated building belonging to Irini
Development Company, north of the town hall on the old American base. The
plans call for an initial construction of 10 prefabricated classrooms on
bases built with funds from our Demos. The construction has already begun,
following a recent decision by the municipal council of the Gouves Demos.
The final objective is to refurbish building 304 – the old base hospital –
to be used by the Iraklion School of Arts. In addition, the school also has
at its disposal now, two prefabricated toilets which were received
immediately after the re-apportionment of our national funds.
As you
may understand by now, our education process is knee deep in endless repairs
and patching-up with no end in sight.
One
wonders at what level the education budget will be maintained after all this
crafty patching.
I’m
afraid we are in for a heavy wave of illiteracy.
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