The vast majority of private kindergartens have a monitoring system installed, reports the Equality trade union, which cites a survey it carried out through a questionnaire and which was addressed to the employees of private kindergartens, mentioning at the same time “extreme cases”, with the installation of cameras even in sensitive and confidential areas , such as teacher restrooms and break areas or kitchens.
According to an announcement by the branch council of Private Sector Kindergarten Teachers of the Syntechnia, the investigation was carried out on the occasion of the recent announcement by the Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data (EPDPH) regarding the legality of the installation and operation of closed circuit video surveillance in private kindergartens.
As reported, it was found that in the vast majority (88.9%) of private kindergartens there is an installed monitoring system, while only 5.6% of employees have given their explicit written consent “to be monitored” in the workplace.
In addition, 44.4% of respondents were informed about the existence of cameras by their colleagues and only 27.8% by the owner, while “remarkable and at the same time worrying” , as reported, is the fact that 5.6% had received no information at all and detected the presence of cameras on their own.
“Despite the fact that the vast majority of parents know about the existence of cameras in schools, with the argument of enhancing the safety of children,” the guild states, “there are extreme cases where the cameras have been installed even in sensitive and private areas, such as teacher toilets and break/kitchen areas, flagrantly and brutally violating the privacy and dignity of the employees”.
It is also noted that while the majority (61.1%) consider the safety of the space and the children as the main reason for the existence of cameras, a not inconsiderable percentage (11.1%) believes that the personal behavior and attitude of the teachers during work is monitored.
According to the guild, “even more disturbing and infuriating is the fact that cases have been recorded where the cameras are monitored by unauthorized third parties, such as husbands of female owners, which leads to gross abuse and creates intense discomfort and resentment among employees.”
The Guild adds that in its announcement, the Commissioner clearly and without room for misinterpretation emphasized that surveillance via cameras is only permitted at the entrance/exit and in the parking areas of kindergartens and that their use in indoor areas, classrooms, common areas, restrooms/changing rooms and yard/playground is expressly and unequivocally prohibited.
However, our findings show that in in many, unacceptable cases the cameras have sound and a microphone, allowing direct and arbitrary management intervention at any time,” it states.
Finally, Equality reports that it communicated with the Office of the Commissioner, which “responded immediately and decisively, pledging to inform and mobilize all relevant bodies in order to immediately comply and strictly observe the law”.
Source: KYPE
