Protesters take to streets over Luxembourg EU school

By Martin Banks

Date: 14/04/05

Parents, teachers and children are expected to take to the streets of Luxembourg tomorrow (15 April) to protest against conditions at one of the city's two European schools.

The Luxembourg II school, which houses 850 pupils aged 6-9, has "serious shortcomings" which urgently need addressing, according to the Parents' Association of the European School (Luxembourg).

A 300-name petition has already been submitted to the school's board of governors, signed by parents of six- and seven-year-olds who are currently being taught in 16 prefabricated classrooms at Luxembourg II.

Luca Martinella of the association, said: "About 300 children are accommodated in these prefabricated classrooms. The rooms are nine years old, in poor condition and totally unsuitable for a child's education. They are smaller and less comfortable than classrooms in the rest of the school.

"The conditions are very much inferior to those in other parts of the school. This is discrimination and must be rectified by the provision of new classrooms."

He added: "We have complained about this before but it appears that many young children are condemned to spend most of their school life in prefabs."

The association is also unhappy that a proposed new European school, which is supposed to open by 2009, will be situated in the district of Mamer, on the opposite side of Luxembourg from where the current school is based, in Kirchberg.

The association says the school should be sited close to the EU institutions where about 80% of parents work. "EU officials live in all four corners of Luxembourg.

"Most want the new school near to where they work as it is the one thing they have in common," said Martinella, who works in the Commission's information directorate and has two children at the European school.

"The need for hundreds of officials to travel by car across the city and back to Kirchberg twice a day will lead to pollution, traffic jams and stress for the children," she said.

About one-fifth of children in the school are not children of EU officials and the association wants more done to increase this proportion.

Paul Schiltz, director of the Luxembourg II school, said: "I understand the parents' concerns and, of course, they have the right to protest.

"But I should point out that a lot of work is currently under way to improve conditions in the school, including repainting, renovation of the gymnasium and renewal of fencing. A lot still has to be done but it is a question of time and money."

The director said: "I am totally satisfied with the standards of safety and security in the prefabricated classrooms. As elsewhere in the school, I am happy that these comply with the required legislation and that there is absolutely no cause for concern."

The Commission is currently carrying out a review on possible reform of the schools, including their future funding, and the matter is to come up for debate next month at a meeting of their board of governors.

A spokesman for Siim Kallas, commissioner for administrative affairs, audit and anti-fraud, who also takes responsibility for the European schools, said: "Consultations are continuing and we expect to put forward concrete proposals before the new term in September. We do not wish to comment further at this stage."

Article reports on protests by parents, teachers and children against the conditions at one of Luxembourg's two European schools.

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