No site has yet been identified for the proposed new Ypsona Junior High School, while the need to build a new high school in the area has not yet been assessed, according to a response by Education Minister Athina Michaelidou to a parliamentary question posed by Limassol MP Michalis Kounounnis. At the same time, the Minister refers to the measures being taken to ensure the safety of school facilities ahead of the new school year.
The Minister’s response, dated August 5, was provided in response to a letter from the ad hoc coordinating committee of parent associations of public schools in Ypsonas and the Municipality of Kourion, which expressed concerns regarding housing needs, the safety of school facilities, and the progress of planned projects.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As Ms. Michailidou noted, a preliminary Project Memorandum has been prepared for the new Ypsona Junior High School, which is currently in the design phase. However, a prerequisite for its submission to the General Directorate of Development is that a construction site be identified first. To this end, the Ministry of Education has contacted the Department of Urban Planning and Housing and is awaiting a response. According to the Minister, the project is not included in the 2027–2029 Medium-Term Fiscal Framework.
The project for the new high school in the area is still in an even earlier stage. The Directorate of Secondary General Education will study and evaluate the necessity of the project and, if deemed necessary, a Project Memorandum will be submitted to the General Directorate of Development.
In contrast, the project for the 4th Kindergarten and Elementary School of Ypsona is already at a more advanced stage. The relevant Project Memorandum has been approved by the General Directorate of Development, and the project has been included in the 2027–2029 Medium-Term Development Plan, and an architectural design competition is expected to be announced shortly. At the same time, construction is underway on the First Public and Community Preschool of Ypsona, with funding of €1.3 million, and instructions have been given for studies on new wings for the Third Elementary School and the Third Kindergarten.
New Measures for School Safety
Of particular interest in the Minister of Education’s response is the reference to the measures being taken to ensure the safety of school facilities, especially in light of the upcoming school year.
The Ministry of Education has allocated an additional €800,000 to the Western Limassol School District for maintenance and improvement work on school buildings and an alternative school.
At the same time, a circular from the Technical Services, dated June 25, 2026, calls on the School Boards to proactively conduct inspections of school buildings before the start of the new school year to check for loose components, waterproofing and drainage systems, as well as inspections of electrical installations and intercoms.
The guidelines stipulate, among other things, that inspections should even include checking for loose parts that are not visible through a simple visual inspection, while School Boards are reminded of their obligation to obtain and renew fire safety certificates, which are valid for three years.
Regarding the timelines, the minister clarifies that the only specific completion timelines that had been provided concerned the expansion of the 3rd Elementary School of Ypsona, and these, as she notes, were met.
Source: CNA
