‘442 teachers, 324 students infected with coronavirus in a week’

* Photo: MA

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Amid the 'gradual' or 'controlled' normalization in Turkey since March 1, there has been a gradual increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

With the gradual opening of primary schools as of March 1 and face-to-face exams held in high schools a week later, there are now COVID-19 cases among teachers and education personnel as well as students.

Speaking to bianet about the latest situation at schools in Turkey, Education and Science Laborers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) Chair Prof. Nejla Kurul says that 442 teachers and 324 students have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country in a week.

'A serious increase in high schools'

Prof. Kurul criticizes the Ministry of National Education for not making a statement about the cases at schools.

"Teachers, parents and students do not know the exact situation at schools. We, as a union, try to announce the cases based on the information we get from our members," says Kurul and shares the following details:

"A week after face-to-face education started, cases were reported from 30 provinces a first; this number has reached 42. It is said that there are no cases among children under the age of 12; but, 324 students have been diagnosed with the virus. There is especially a serious increase in the number of cases in high schools. This is the data that we have obtained with our own efforts, the numbers might be much higher."

'5 teachers have lost their lives'

Prof. Nejla Kurul says that five education laborers have lost their lives in the last two week.s "We want the Ministry of National Education to announce the numbers it has, share them with unions and develop a solution with shared wisdom," says Kurul, briefly adding:

"We have lost our five fellow teachers in the last couple of weeks. This is the number that we can reach. Priorities were not set, adequate measures were not taken and the cases have increased as a result."

'No adequate measures at schools'

Education Union Chair Kurul also criticizes the face-to-face examinations at high schools, adding: "As if the pandemic had not been there, as if the students were not getting distance education, exams were held based on the curriculum in the face-to-face education.

"Their exams have now been postponed to May. This could have been done in the very beginning. On the one side, they portrayed schools as the source of the virus and closed them while keeping everywhere open; on the other side, they are not taking adequate measures at schools."

'Vaccination of teachers has stopped'

Prof. Kurul also shares information about the vaccination of teachers against COVID-19: "The Minister of Health announced that 80 thousand village teachers would be vaccinated. We were happy that the process started; but, then, we have learned that the vaccination in districts has stopped, as has been the case among the general public. It is only the teachers in the village; there is no vaccination in provinces or districts." (RT/SD)