State schoolchildren treated as ‘second class’ over safety, auditor-general says

Pupils who attend state schools are treated as “second class” in comparison to those who attend private schools, auditor-general Andreas Papaconstantinou wrote in a report on fire safety in school buildings released on Thursday.

“The different institutional approach between state and private schools regarding health and safety obligations, in addition to creating conditions of unequal competition, gives the impression that state school pupils are treated as second class,” he said....