About 222,000 students and 23,000 teachers will be, Tomorrow morning at 2,200 school units of Central Macedonia for the start of the new school year. The books to be given to the students are already in their school classrooms, and the first phase of the placement of associate teachers has been completed, as well as the total of 750 permanent newly appointed teachers. Less by 770 are first grade students’ enrollments, which due to the demographic problem has begun to be systematically monitored by the relevant bodies.
“The reduction of first grade student potential in Central Macedonia this year compared to 6%last year,” said Central Macedonian Regional Education Director Alexandros Koptsis at a press conference ahead of the start of the new school year. Specifically, according to the updated data from the MySchool platform he presented, this year in the First Elementary 12,328 students were enrolled in the 1st Elementary School for 13,098 last year. “It is something we are watching, but we do not inhibit the operation of school units, we do not close schools in any way, even if the student population is reduced,” the Regional Director noted.
As for the staffing of school units, Mr. Koptsis It focused on promoting students’ psychosocial health through the strengthening of school educational support networks. “We have set up an additional 87 SSMA (each SPA can serve up to five school units). We had a total of 100 last year and this year we have 187 SPAs, so 87 additional school groups will have a psychologist and a social worker, that is, in about 500 additional school units this year there will be a psychologist and social worker, “Mr Koptsis said.
Accordingly, it emphasized the importance of enhancing integration sections, which are a specialized support structure of special education. “In Central Macedonia, 603 new integration sections were created. We had 630 so far and this year only 603 news was created, “he noted. Overall, as he explained, 750 teachers, 600 general education and 150 special education were appointed to Central Macedonia this year.
For standards and experimental schools -in Central Macedonia operate 20 Experimental and Four Standardsincluding 7 new experiments founded this year- the Regional Director noted that “the number of applications for the candidates has increased significantly this year, showing the recognition of their value by parents and students”. For the public Onassis Gymnasium and High School of Thessaloniki, which begins its operation in Xirokrini tomorrow, assured that “the infrastructure processes are starting, and staffed by teachers have been completed and staffed by teachers. […] And next year we will establish the next. “
The relocation of EYEEK Pylea-Chortiatis to Thermi soon
For the Issue of school housing, Mr. Koptsis He referred to the planning of the construction of new schools already launched by-20 school units through NSRF 2021-2027 Central Macedonia, and 17 bioclimatic school units via PPPs, as well as the longest-term studied in collaboration with the municipalities, but also in school problems. “It was one of the difficult years and only last summer we had the relocation of 7 school units in collaboration with the municipalities. The relocation of the 1st Special Elementary School of Thessaloniki, the 2nd Special Kindergarten and the EYEEK Evosmos was completed, while ready to relocate to Thermi is the EYEEK Pylea-Horitatis, while in the special education we also had the 1st Elementary School of Education.
Specifically for the relocation of EYEEK Pylea-Chortiatis, he noted that the school in Thermi is ready at the level of educational infrastructure and accessibility infrastructure, there are some bureaucratic procedures for renaming it- from EYEEK Panorama to EYEEK and ” For the relocation of the Thessaloniki Special Elementary School for children with autism to high school building facilities in Kalamaria, he clarified that infrastructure projects have not yet been completed.
Concerning the relocation of the intercultural school and its operation with an afternoon shift, he said that the Regional Directorate of Education accepted the decision of the Municipality, but urged a permanent housing solution next year.
Also on the issue of moving students from the 3rd to the 5th General High School in the area that emerged last year through parents and students reactions, Mr Kopissis said that with the intervention of the PDP, the OSTH modified its route so that the bus would pass in front of the 3rd GEL.
The problem of the school housing is more intense in western Thessaloniki and for this reason, as the Regional Director said, the construction of new school complexes is being launched on already designated municipal plots, Like the operation of the Art School in Monastiri and the establishment of another Music School.
Lastly, in synergies of the Regional Directorate of Education of Central Macedonia, Mr. Koptsis focused on collaboration with Cisco for the implementation of a pilot training program in the EPAL and EK Vocational Education Units, where students will be certified by the International Program. Apprentices’, where through the cooperation of the RIP with public and private bodies offers more than 2,000 jobs to EPAL graduates.