The different approaches of MPs regarding the expansion of pre-primary education, but also the postponement of the examination of the supplementary budget of the University of Cyprus and its referral to the next session, following a request from Audit Service, was among the issues that were raised in today's session of the Parliament's Education and Culture Parliamentary Committee.
During the meeting of the Committee on the supplementary budget of the University of Cyprus, it was reported by MPs that a professor of the University of Cyprus, a former Vice-Chancellor, was tried and found guilty of the offenses of forgery, the creation and distribution of a forged document and the legalization of profits from illegal activities. As mentioned, the court imposed a seven-month prison sentence with a three-year suspension, while the University of Cyprus imposed the penalty of a reduction in its salary scale. Pavlos Mylonas, stated that today the supplementary budget for 2022 was presented to the Committee by the University of Cyprus and a request and suggestion was made by the Audit Service not to proceed because there are serious issues, which the Audit Service is examining, and which touch the limits of “serious scandals”.
“We don't have them before us, we asked for them to be submitted to us, so we postponed the passing of the specific budget”, said Mr. Mylonas. He also added that for the budget of the University of Cyprus, the Audit Service indicated the need to take into account the recommendations that will be sent. He said that the Audit Service's report is expected on November 28 and added that December 1 is the last plenary session, noting the delay that exists on the part of organizations in submitting budgets.
When asked about the conviction of a University of Cyprus professor, stated that it is unprecedented for Cyprus and that there was also a conviction of an academic at TEPAK. You understand, he said, that it is not possible to have legislation and to have many categories of citizens. “Isn't the Republic of Cyprus a European democracy?”, he asked.
Speaking about the issue of pre-primary education and the support program from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, he stated that there are views from all parties, and that amendments will be tabled next week and will be brought to the plenary on December 1.
The Deputy of DISY, Giorgos Karoullas, said that for the bill on the expansion of pre-primary education, the call from DISY is this opportunity offered through the Recovery and Resilience Fund to be utilized. He added that there are golden sections and the best possible solution should be found to help thousands of households and give the opportunity to children from four years of age and above to start their learning process, so as to help parents in their work activity. .
AKEL Member of Parliament, Christos Christofidis, stated that the extension of pre-primary education by another year is a basic position and proposal of AKEL. I am sorry to note, said Mr. Christofidis, that the Ministry of Education without an overall plan will take some money from the Recovery and Resilience Fund and instead of the suggestion that this money be allocated to expand public education and be able to cover these needs, the Ministry's proposal is essentially to subsidize the private sector to meet these needs.
“It will be the first time that part of public compulsory education will be effectively outsourced to the private sector and the public sector will not be able to meet these needs,” he said. At the same time, he added, the Ministry of Education does not have a plan for what will be done after 2026 when the European funds will run out. Our opinion, he said, is that there is a possibility with serious planning, with the utilization of community kindergartens, with transitional arrangements, such as for example the placement of separate classrooms, for public education to meet these needs by ensuring the level of education provided. .
Regarding the budget of the University of Cyprus, Mr. Christofidis said that the examination and discussion will continue in the next session. When asked about the decision of the University of Cyprus regarding the salary reduction, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cyprus stated that “we have not heard the reasoning, nor have we seen exhaustively what supported the decision”. As far as corruption is concerned, said Mr. Christofidis, there must be such measures, which are deterrent.
The independent Member of Parliament, Andreas Themistokleous, stated that the University of Cyprus, instead of expelling and terminating the particular professor, as is done throughout the public service, in similar cases, simply reduced his salary by one scale. He noted that “this thing is scandalous, it is unexpected because the highest intellectual institution of the country should be an example of good administration and equality and not an example of dishonesty”. it cannot first carry out expenditures, spend money and subsequently ask the Parliament for approval of these expenditures. At the same time, Mr. Themistokleous said that regarding the debate on the provision of undergraduate programs by public universities in the English language, no study was carried out by any organization that would justify such a thing and that such a decision would close the private universities, which already have makes investments and have developed programs in the English language.
