Athina Michailidou, from the studio of the “Alpha Enimerosi” program, invites the striking teachers to the discussion table.
The Minister of Education spoke about the employment status of workers in the Ministry of Education’s 14 afternoon and support programs, which include the State Institutes of Continuing Education (KIE) and the Continuing Education Centers.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As Ms. Michailidou explained, the government has undertaken a drastic institutional overhaul, transforming the employment status of these workers—numbering fewer than 1,000—from the long-standing “service market” to salaried employees and subsequently to indefinite-term contract workers. This development, which took effect in May of last year, provided full employment benefits but created a new legal situation regarding the summer months.
Under current legislation governing the broader public sector, employees with permanent contracts whose work is suspended during the summer months are not entitled to contractual unemployment benefits. In response to the strike actions by a group of instructors, Ms. Michailidou emphasized that the Ministry has accepted the unions’ proposal to establish a special summer allowance, which is currently under discussion at the level of Directors-General with the Ministries of Finance and Labor.
The Minister called for the continuation of dialogue at the negotiating table, emphasizing that strike actions place a financial burden on the workers themselves and deprive students, especially in rural and remote areas, of access to low-cost remedial instruction.
Particular emphasis was placed on the imminent conclusion of the transitional period for the education appointment system, with the goal of completely abolishing the list of appointees by September 2027.
Athina Michaelidou revealed that the revised bill is in its final stage before being submitted to the Council of Ministers and the House of Representatives. As part of a compromise and in recognition of the contributions of teachers with significant prior service, the Ministry agreed to create a “closed registry” of approximately 4,000 teachers.
Among the key provisions of the government’s proposal is that teachers included in the closed registry retain the right to appointment and priority until they are granted permanent status or obtainpermanent contract. Those registered in the registry should be given the opportunity to take the written exams of the appointment system, so that they may earn points and compete for permanent positions on a 50-50 basis during the transitional period. It also clarifies the situation regarding the lists of 40,000 candidates for appointment, the overwhelming majority of whom are not actively interested in appointment, allowing the system to focus on teachers who are actually available.
The Minister noted that in certain fields, such as Mathematics and the Humanities, there is a shortage of successful candidates on the exams, while in others, such as English Literature and Biology, there is a surplus of successful candidates, a fact that necessitates regulatory intervention by the government.
In the area of elementary education, the Minister referred to the expansion of the Optional Full-Day Schools program, which this year numbered 383 schools across Cyprus.
Responding to questions regarding staffing, Ms. Michaelidou noted that, out of the total 383 schools, there was initially a staffing issue at only one school, which was resolved immediately. At the same time, approximately 10% of cases involve objections or refusals to accept appointments by teachers, which are being addressed through substitute teachers.
Finally, the Minister clarified the Ministry’s position regarding parents’ requests for flexibility in students’ dismissal times:
“The full-day school carries out a structured educational and pedagogical mission and is not a childcare facility. For this reason, adherence to the designated time slots is essential for the completion of the curriculum.”
The Ministry of Education plans to evaluate the institution’s operation by the end of the school year, with the aim of establishing a new regulatory framework that will further enhance the quality of the education provided.
