ATHENS — "Teacher recruitment, up to 15 students per school room: [this is] the only safe option for the re-opening of schools," the new spokesperson of main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance Nassos Iliopoulos said on Tuesday in a post on social media.

"The pandemic highlighted the need for a big investment in public education, so that schools can be opened safely," he said and accused the government that "while spending public money using the pretext of the pandemic, even for the essential diagnostic tests that it is giving away to private clinics, it refuses to proceed with the necessary hiring of teachers, so that schools will operate with up to 15 students in each room."

"On the contrary, in the midst of a pandemic, Greece will be the only European country to increase the number of students per class. Mitsotakis cynically confessed this yesterday in Parliament. At a time when teachers are among the confirmed coronavirus cases, the government has not made provision for the necessary tests to be carried out, both before the schools open and when classes are taking place," he noted, adding that "even on the issue of mask supply, it proceeded with delays and a lack of organisation, after the social and political outcry."

"Mitsotakis and (Education Minister Niki) Kerameus have managed to rally the entire educational community against them. The contradictions in their own policies fuel conspiracy theories. Even now, we call on them to listen to the voice of teachers, students and parents and to open schools safely for everyone," he concluded.