School supplies donated to Greek Cypriot and Maronite pupils in north

Nicosia, Cyprus. School supplies have been donated to Greek Cypriot and Maronite children attending schools in the north, the Pancyprian volunteerism coordinating council said on Thursday. The supplies were donated by Eurobank.

Support for pupils and families

Volunteerism coordinating council chairman Elias Demetriou compared the children and their families to the Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae and expressed his “deep gratitude and respect”.

“The volunteerism coordinating council and the wider volunteer movement will continue to stand firmly by the side of the children and their families, supporting their needs and contributing, in every possible way, to the shaping of a better future,” he said.

Education commitments

Following his election as Turkish Cypriot leader in October last year, Tufan Erhurman pledged to improve conditions at Greek Cypriot and Maronite schools in the north.

“The right to education for our children in Karpasia is extremely important to me,” he said when asked about criticism of the Turkish Cypriot authorities over the issue.

“Whatever needs to be done will be done,” he said, adding that the education rights of Greek Cypriot children in Karpasia would not depend on reciprocity from the Greek Cypriot side.

Erhurman also called on the Republic of Cyprus to allow the opening of a Turkish-language school in Limassol.

“The right to education for Turkish Cypriot children living in Limassol is just as important as that of our children in Karpasia. They are also our children, and I will continue to be assertive on this matter,” he said.

School visit

In February, Erhurman visited the Rizokarpaso Greek Cypriot middle school and met pupils and teachers from the school and the town’s Greek Cypriot primary school.