Presidential Commissioner, Photis Photiou, presided over a meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace, aiming to immediately meet the needs for the proper operation of schools in Turkish occupied Rizokarpaso, where Greek Cypriot enclaved children are studying.
According to a press release from the presidency, the meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, the headmasters of the schools, and representatives of the competent school board.
The meeting identified the current needs related to the proper operation of the schools both in teaching staff and equipment, and timetables were set in order for them to be met immediately.
Photiou, the press release adds, thanked the involved agencies for their immediate response and informed them about his intention to visit the schools in Rizokarpaso, to witness in person the current needs, with a view to support quality education at the historical schools of Rizokarpaso.
Moreover, he thanked the Rizokarpaso school board for its excellent cooperation and reiterated the continuous and uninterrupted interest of the government in all issues related to the Greek Cypriot enclaved and the quality education of the enclaved children.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory and forcibly expelled about 180,000 Greek Cypriots from their homes. Another 20,000 Greek Cypriots, who had remained in the occupied areas, were also forced to eventually abandon their homes and seek refuge in the safety of the government-controlled areas. Today, a few hundred enclaved Greek Cypriots remain in the Turkish occupied areas.