EDUCATION AND TRAINING MONITOR 2016 CYPRUS Dr Athena Michaelidou Director of the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute Ministry of Education and Culture 1

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION 1. Introductory remarks 2. Cyprus highlights in the Monitor 2016 3. Challenges and measures of the Ministry of Education and Culture(MOEC) to: address demographic and skill challenges tackle inequalities and promote inclusion modernise education STAN VAN ALPHEN

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS The Monitor is considered by the MOEC as: A valuable tool for improvement A good insight of the progress made in major areas of education An opportunity to evaluate and improve the measures to success A guide for internal action towards progress

HIGHLIGHTS FOR CYPRUS EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 STAN VAN ALPHEN 4

EDUCATION AND TRAINING MONITOR 2016 - Highlights for Cyprus (1) Considerable performance improvement on early school leaving A very high rate of tertiary educational attainment has been maintained A strategic reform of the technical and vocational education and training sector has been initiated

EDUCATION AND TRAINING MONITOR 2016 - Highlights for Cyprus (2) Establishment of the Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education Relatively low levels of basic skills and the continued lack of efficiency of public spending in the education system are still major challenges

KEY INDICATORS

demographic and skills challenges MEASURES of the moec To Address demographic and skills challenges

challenge The share of education spending in total general government expenditure has been reduced, from 15,7% in 2013 to 11,8% in 2014

Continued monitoring and evaluation, evidence-based policy MEASURES Strategic Plan of the MOEC Specific strategic goals, objectives, activities and actions LINKED with the budget and monitored by specific KPIs Focused and targeted actions within the SP Balance in monitoring: internal action (Policy and Strategic Planning Unit, Ministry of Finance) and external monitoring and support Continued monitoring and evaluation, evidence-based policy

EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 CHALLENGE The employment rate of recent tertiary graduates is relatively high and improved slightly (from 72,4% to 73,6%) Still 8,3% points below the EU average 44% of students in the fields of social science, business and law, one of the largest shares of students in all Member States STAN VAN ALPHEN

EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 Measures Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education Tertiary education institutions offer more short vocationally-oriented programmes A scheme to employ and train tertiary education graduates Universities set 'industry liaison offices’ to link academia and businesses STAN VAN ALPHEN

Focused and targeted financial support to Tertiary Education students Measures (2) New law on the student grant provides: better monitoring and targeting of educational grants allowances for students in public and private tertiary education accredited programmes assess in a better way students’ socioeconomic status and needs Focused and targeted financial support to Tertiary Education students

CHALLENGE Lifelong Learning EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 CHALLENGE Lifelong Learning Participation in adult learning has continued to rise, from 12,6% in 2014 to 13,4% in 2015 It nonetheless remained respectively 13,1 pps. below the EU-28 average STAN VAN ALPHEN

Measures Strategic Plan for promoting Lifelong Learning EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 Measures Strategic Plan for promoting Lifelong Learning Participatory model of work (all stakeholders, coordination by the MOEC) Specific action plan STAN VAN ALPHEN

MINISTRY’S MEASURES TO Tackle inequalities and promote inclusion

Early leavers from education and training challenge Early leavers from education and training The early school leaving rate decreased significantly from 6,8% (2014) to 5,3% (2015), well below the EU average of 11,0% (2015) 2012 11,4% 2014 6,8% 2015 5,3% 2011 11,3%

Measures Special projects, like the ‘School and Social Inclusion Actions’, to tackle low performance, truancy and early school leaving The MOEC has proclaimed the school year 2015- 2016 as the year of ‘raising awareness in schools about racism and intolerance and promoting equality and respect’ Development of a ‘code of conduct against racism’ provides schools with a practical guide for managing and reporting racist incidents

Measures (2) Improvement of students’ language and mathematical skills is emphasised in all school levels Intensive programme of Greek language teaching for pupils with a migrant background Operation of special talent schools (music, sports) in all districts Modernisation of upper secondary (lyceum) system through the introduction of streams of specialisation Restructuring the school system and offering actions to promote equality

Early Childhood Education and Care CHALLENGE Early Childhood Education and Care Participation rate 82,6% in 2014, 11,7 pps. below the EU average of 94,3%

MEASURES Pre-primary education is compulsory and free to all children aged from 4 years and 8 months to 5 years and 8 months who attend public kindergartens The MOEC subsidizes the operation of community kindergartens which operate in cases where the public kindergarten classes available do not meet the needs of all applications

MEASURES (2) Children at the age of 3 years to 4 years and 8 months, attending public kindergartens, pay low fees (free allowance is given to poor families, whereas reduction of fees is given to families with four or more children) The revision of the curriculum, the upgrading of buildings and outdoor playgrounds, the decrease of the number of pupils per class to facilitate better teaching and learning opportunities as well as teachers’ in-service training, are also among the measures taken by the MOEC to enhance preschool education

MINISTRY’S MEASURES TO EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 MINISTRY’S MEASURES TO Modernise education STAN VAN ALPHEN 23

EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 CHALLENGE Although Cyprus invests significantly in education and training, educational outcomes are insufficient The performance in international surveys is poor (students are underachieving in Science, Maths and Reading) STAN VAN ALPHEN

Measures CONTENT (Curricula) TEACHERS (appointment system, system for professional learning, system for teacher/ school evaluation) STRUCTURES (internally at the MOEC, school timetables, promoting Technical and Vocational Education)

EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 Measures (2) New Curricula and New Timetables for Primary, Secondary and Technical and Vocational Education – introduction of learning and teaching indicators for success (from 2016) New system for teachers’ professional development and learning (from 2015) New system for teacher appointment in public schools, with a provision for written examinations (from 2017) New teacher, student and school evaluation system (in consultation phase) STAN VAN ALPHEN

Vocational Education and Training (VET) EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 CHALLENGE Vocational Education and Training (VET) Participation in VET remains below the EU average Cyprus has an average employment rate for upper-secondary level VET graduates of 70,3% (close to the 73% of EU) STAN VAN ALPHEN

EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 Measures Strategic Plan for the System of Technical and Vocational Education and Training 2015-2020 Secondary VET education Evening technical schools (second chance) Apprenticeship System Afternoon and evening classes Post-secondary institutes of VET STAN VAN ALPHEN

Overall umbrella of our educational policy EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 Overall umbrella of our educational policy MOEC’s Strategic Plan 2017-2019: Setting of long-term strategic goals Development, training and quality upgrade of education’s human resource Modernization of the management structures of the educational system and the school units Provision of education and upgrade of its content, evaluation and effectiveness Support and reinforcement of every pupil, acknowledging diversity Reinforcement and upgrade of technical and vocational education Reinforcement and upgrade of tertiary education Development, promotion and safeguarding of cultural creation and promotion of sports Effective and active participation of the MOEC in European and international affairs STAN VAN ALPHEN

conclusion We have made progress, we are working on strengthening the successful actions and programmes and introducing evidence-based policies We still have work to do and we cannot do it without the commitment and cooperation of all the stakeholders The MOEC has the will to implement the proposed policy reforms which will upgrade the educational system for the benefit of our students Thank you!

Education and Training Monitor 2016 EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 Dr Athena Michaelidou athmich@cyearn.pi.ac.cy Education and Training Monitor 2016 STAN VAN ALPHEN 32