Education committee calls for new school hours to relieve traffic
The House education committee on Wednesday discussed extending all-day schools and changing opening hours to reduce traffic congestion. It also called for the evaluation of analytical school programmes to promote the overall development of stu
The House education committee on Wednesday discussed extending all-day schools and changing opening hours to reduce traffic congestion.
It also called for the evaluation of analytical school programmes to promote the overall development of students.
Deputy chairman of the committee, Diko MP Chrysanthos Savvides, said things have changed at schools, there is “a new student base, a different stance on life and more digital demands”, which called for new analytical programmes to meet the new needs.
Savvides said gymnasium students aged 12 to 14 were being taught 15 to 17 lessons, while lyceum students aged 15 and above only had eight to ten lessons to study, which made targeted teaching and learning better.
Referring to school opening times, Savvides said there was a general call to change the times, however the transport ministry said there were not enough bus drivers to meet the demand.
MPs from Disy, Akel and Dipa agreed that it was necessary to make changes.
Disy MP Prodromos Alambritis said education should adapt to the needs of the students and “society of today and tomorrow”.
Billions of jobs will be lost over the next few years and thus schools should keep up with the changes and promote innovation and skills necessary for the emerging labour market, Alambritis added.
He referred to the need to add robotics, programming and artificial intelligence to the curriculum, while enhancing information technology.
“Education is a live organism in a dynamic environment,” he said, adding that material and programmes needed to be “constantly updated and upgraded, in order to cultivate critical thought and creativity”.
Akel MP Christos Christofides said all problems in the education system are being transferred from one year to the next and the need for technology was not being addressed.
Christofides called for new programmes and said it was “more important to produce humane people with a conscience, who will be useful members of society” instead of chasing good grades in an exam-oriented system.
Children, he said, were “not happy in school” and the system had “failed to give them prospects”.
Dipa MP Alekos Tryfonides said it was necessary to create a modern education system with more emphasis on technical training.
“Our suggestion is that all involved ministers are present at the next meeting of the committee – education, transport and finance – so that discussions can be made on a political level and the necessary decisions be made,” he said.
Tryfonides also pointed out the need to combat delinquency and introduce road education.
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