'We did not ask the prosecutor to intervene in high schools sit-ins issue'

There seem to be fewer cases of protest sit-ins in high schools, Education Minister Andreas Loverdos on Wednesday (5/11/2014) told…

The minister said tthe number of sit-ins has decreased as of Tuesday, defended protests as a form of expression of freedom but stressed that teaching hours

should be lost.

“If sit-ins continue, additional classes will be held on Saturdays, during Christmas and on the days marked for school trips,” he said.

Referring to the intervention of the Supreme Court Prosecutor, he clarified that “we did not call the prosecutor, we simply reminded of what is provided for to make up for lost teaching hours.”

Referring to the teacher vacancies at schools, he said “efforts are being made so as to cover those shortages even without funds.” He said “students are right, but a state that has no money is also right.”

On the exam topics pool, he noted there would be no changes and defended the system by saying that the “topics pool is trying to develop the students’ judgment” and added that the syllabus would be reduced.