The new 2026–2027 school year begins with a number of innovations, changes, and pedagogical and educational policies. Classes in Secondary Education (General Secondary Education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training) will begin on Monday, September 7, 2026, while classes in Elementary Education will begin on Monday, September 14, 2026. Secondary education teachers will begin work on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, and elementary school teachers on Monday, September 7, 2026.
The Minister of Education, Sports, and Youth, Athina Michailidou, spoke to CNA about the start of the 2026–2027 school year, stating that the Ministry’s preparations for the start of the school year began months ago. “There are specific timelines and actions being undertaken before the start of the school year to ensure as smooth a school year as possible. It is a year of change, a year of educational policies,” she added.
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First and foremost, the Minister said, they are addressing the issue of staffing in collaboration with the Education Service Commission.
“This is going well, according to the Commission’s data. We always have some minor issues at the beginning of the school year,” but we have already taken steps to ensure that schools are staffed with teachers, principals, and administrative personnel, she noted.
When asked about textbooks, Ms. Michailidou said that no major problems are anticipated. “We always experience minor delays from publishers, which do not affect the smooth start of the school year,” she added.
Regarding the building program, Ms. Michailidou said that it has been fully announced since July and involves new construction, expansions, and building renovations, so that all parents, children, teachers, and staff are aware of the schools where projects will take place.
“We view this sector as very positive and conducive to development, because it makes sense to have construction projects; we don’t view them as mere construction sites, as long as the safety of the children and staff is taken into account. We are available to everyone through the School Boards to address any issues that arise in the buildings,” he added.
Regarding health and safety issues, the Minister of Education said they are in constant communication with the Fire Department so that even more schools can obtain a Fire Safety Certificate this year, and with the state’s Electromechanical Services, in conjunction with the installation of air conditioners, to ensure that the electrical systems in school buildings are upgraded and inspected.
Regarding the air conditioners, Ms. Michaelidou said that the reason they are proceeding very carefully and without being pressured by deadlines is safety.
“We understand that the electrical systems in schools were not taken into account, so, while the installation has been completed in almost all schools, some require more extensive work on their electrical systems than others. “We’re in a very good place, especially in high schools and middle schools, and of course in preschools, where almost all will have air conditioning and almost all will be operational,” he said.
Regarding elementary schools, he said that by the end of 2026, “we’ll have an even better picture that will bring us closer to our goal.” In some schools that require major projects—such as EAC substations, for example—it goes without saying that it will take more time. Under no circumstances will we allow air conditioners to operate without the required safety certificates.” As she said, “Our goal of ensuring that all schools have and operate air conditioners is moving forward, despite many obstacles and challenges, which are being resolved by the school boards.”
The Minister also noted that they have issued circulars on health and safety issues so that schools and teachers are aware of their Action Plans.
“They need to know what to do in case of danger, such as a fire, an earthquake, etc. This year, the seismic retrofitting has also been completed to a very large extent—in over 90% of our schools across Cyprus—and that is very important. Therefore, we want our teachers and staff to be informed about emergency procedures. They have up-to-date Action Plans posted online, and teachers designated at each school participate in training sessions so that the issue of “health and safety” is given the importance it deserves, since it is a priority for us,” he noted.
Responding to a question regarding their pedagogical and educational policies, the Minister said that they continue to implement reforms and changes because they want Cyprus’s education system to achieve better learning outcomes, to be more effective, more inclusive, and more modern—and that this reform effort takes time.
“We are continuing with assessment, which is now an established practice—it is mandated by law. We are starting off strong in September with formative assessment, as required by law, that is, continuous evaluation that will help every teacher and empower them, and in accordance with the law, in 2028 we will also move forward with the implementation of numerical evaluation,” he added.
He noted that they are also working on the issue of the teacher recruitment system, which needs to be modernized, without this meaning that they do not take prior work experience into account. On the contrary, he added, they recognize people’s prior service in public schools, they recognize their experience, and based on the initial, preliminary position they have already submitted to the organizations for discussion, this is evident, he said.
“So, we expect to hold meetings with the teachers’ unions in the coming days and, in a spirit of dialogue and frank discussion, to move toward a more consensual solution to be presented to Parliament,” he added.
He also noted that the entire process regarding special education has been completed. “We hadn’t had new legislation in that area for 30 years. So, as you can see, progress has been made,” he said. He noted that the main feature is that we are moving toward a “more child-centered, student-centered” approach, with individualized programs for children with disabilities, robust training for teachers, and the use of technology wherever and whenever needed. “We have completed the legal review of the proposal so that it can be submitted to Parliament shortly,” he added.
He also noted that “in terms of changes, we are establishing music and sports schools for the first time, after nearly 20 years of them operating without regulations, and thus we are closing this chapter as well.”
Speaking in more detail, the Minister of Education said that for elementary education, the emphasis is on further expanding and improving the all-day school program, which is a “very successful institution.”
“It seems to be continuing to improve with the changes we’re making. In other words, we’re placing emphasis on the content, the curricula of the all-day school, and who is teaching,” she noted. We are further refining our curricula, he continued, in order to achieve the shift toward skills-based learning that we are aiming for. He also noted that a guide to school life has been developed, within the framework of civic education, while efforts are continuing with the digital school initiative. “We are nearly finished equipping all schools and are working on professional development, as well as on artificial intelligence and new technologies,” she added.
Regarding secondary education, the Minister said there are several innovations. “These include the social worker role and civic education,” while a pilot program with fewer courses is being implemented this year in the first year of middle school to ease children’s transition from elementary to middle school. “We have completely upgraded the laboratories,” she continued, adding that this is the year in which greater emphasis is being placed on skills in the curriculum.
They are continuing, he said, to implement the “work week” in a targeted manner and are evaluating it, as it proved successful last year, along with financial literacy and new technologies; she also noted that there are more full-day schools in secondary education this year.
Regarding technical education, the Minister noted that their initiatives have already yielded tangible results; the number of students wishing to attend technical schools has increased significantly, which is why they are investing in infrastructure, with new technical schools in Limassol and Larnaca, and are also launching a new technical school in Nicosia.
“This year, we’re expanding with the Technical Junior High School at the Panagia Theoskepasti Junior High School in Paphos and at the Panos Ioannou Kokkinochoria Junior High School in FreeAmmochostos. We are improving our technical education programs and modernizing them with new technologies, and we are also expanding to the MIEEK, post-secondary institutes, which will also accept children with disabilities this year,” so that these children, too, will have opportunities to continue on to higher education, he added.
In response to a question regarding support staff, the Minister said that the School Boards are currently in the process of assigning their duties, adding that their training is more comprehensive than in previous years. She also noted that there are more school aides to meet a greater number of needs.
“For the first time in many years, we’ve managed to secure a pay raise for them, which was a long-standing and just demand of theirs. In the coming year, we will take a closer look at their employment conditions as well, so that we can improve them there too,” she added.
When asked whether the ongoing issues in the education sector might affect the smooth start of the school year, Ms. Michaelidou said that “as far as we’re concerned, that’s not a possibility, since we’ve issued an open invitation for dialogue.”
“How can measures be taken or dismissive statements made when the Ministry has presented a framework for discussion and is awaiting dialogue, with an invitation to teachers’ organizations, starting this week with a meeting with OELMEK, and next week with OLTEK and POED, to hear their positions and concerns? “So, if they don’t listen to us and we don’t listen to them, how can any decisions be made?” he concluded.
“No upheaval” due to the retirement of the Director of Higher Education
There will be no disruption at the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth due to the retirement of the Director of Higher Education, Terpsa Konstantinidou, the Minister, Athina Michaelidou, also told CNA.
When asked about today’s article in “Dialogos,” which states that a candidate for the permanent position is reportedly being considered for the acting role, the Minister of Education told CNA that “there has been no disruption at the Ministry of Education, given that the Director of Higher Education has not yet retired and the position has already been advertised and is expected to be filled. Until the position is filled, the competent authority will assign duties to another staff member.”
The goal, the Minister concluded, is to ensure that the smooth operation of Higher Education continues uninterrupted.
Source: CNA
