“KIE centers are not facilities for the care or supervision of minors,” was the Ministry of Education’s response to a letter from a mother who was denied entry to a class with her child.
Speaking on the “Alpha Kalimera” show, Family Network Team Coordinator Krista Theofanopoulou stated that the first time the mother attended a KIE class, she asked the teacher and her child’s classmates if it was okay for her child to be in the classroom as well, since there was no one to watch him. At that time, they told her it was no problem; however, the second time, they informed her that they had assumed it was an emergency and that, according to the regulations, children are not allowed in the classroom. “They asked her to leave the child outside the classroom,” she noted.
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After the incident, the young woman wrote a letter to the Ministry of Education, which responded as follows: “We fully understand the difficulties a working parent may face. The Ministry recognizes and respects citizens’ right to lifelong learning as well as motherhood and the responsibilities it entails, but KIE centers are not intended to serve as daycare or supervision facilities for minor children.”.
Ms. Theofanopoulou stated that several mothers contacted her, reporting that they attended classes and were allowed to bring their children into the classroom. However, as she notes, “citizens cannot rely on the empathy shown by the head of a particular educational institution.”
