THE CYPRUS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM Presentation by Ninos Josephides Design and Technology Inspector Ministry of Education and Culture-Cyprus Study Visit - November 2010 – Limassol (Cyprus) 1

HISTORICAL MOMENTS  1960: The establishment of the Republic of Cyprus  Greek Cypriots – Turkish Cypriots ( Separate administrations for education but both controlled by the government)  1960: Free primary education  1964: Inter-communal problems  1972: Free secondary education  1974: Turkish invasion  1992: University of Cyprus  2004: Accession to the EU 2

ORGANISATION AND STRUCTURE  Centralised educational administration  Highest authority of the Ministry of Education and Culture: the Minister followed by the Permanent Secretary  Other departments and services help the overall functioning of the system 3

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND CULTURE PERMANENT SECRETARY (GENERAL DIRECTOR) PEDAGOGICAL INSTITUTE CENTRE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND EVALUATION CULTURAL SERVICES OTHER SERVICES AND UNITS PRIMARY EDUCATION SECONDARY EDUCATION HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TECHNICAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIONPLANNING REGISTRY ACCOUNTS OFFICE EU & INTER- NATIONAL AFFAIRS COUNSELING AND CAREER EDUCATION SERVICE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT UNIT EDUCATIONAL PSYCOLOGY SERVICE SCHOOL CLERKS UNIT CYPRUS RESEARCH CENTRE MINISTER 4

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MINISTRY  Administration of education  Enforcement of educational laws  Preparation of educational bills  Prescription of syllabi, curricula and textbooks  Regulation and supervision of educational institutions  Construction of school buildings  Maintenance and equipment: shared responsibility with local School Boards  Public education is mainly financed by the Government 5

EDUCATIONAL SERVICE COMMISSION  Appointments  Promotions  Transfers  Secondments  Disciplinary matters of teaching personnel 6

PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS  Owned, administered and financed by individuals or bodies  Registered with the Ministry of Education and Culture  Comply with certain curriculum and facility requirements mandated by the Law  Supervised by the Ministry 7

STAGES IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM  Pre-primary  Primary  Secondary, technical and vocational  Higher and tertiary 8

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PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION  Its importance is recognised by the Government  Since 2004, it is compulsory and free for one year prior to attending the primary school  Three types of pre-primary institutions: public, community and private 10

PRIMARY EDUCATION  Six-year free and compulsory  Teacher salaries paid by the Government  Annual grants to School Boards  Schools in every town and village with 15+ pupils  Pupil/teacher ratio 17:1  Class size: Grade 1-5: 25 pupils maximum, Grade 6: 30 pupils maximum 11

SECONDARY EDUCATION  LOWER (GYMNASIUM) – Basic general education that is compulsory for three years – Efforts to upgrade the Gymnasium according to the demands of the society  UPPER (LYCEUM) – UNIFIED LYCEUM  Provides education in line with modern trends in education and in particular those of Europe – TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION  Quite substantial contribution to the economic and industrial development of Cyprus 12

HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION  Operation and expansion of the three public universities (University of Cyprus, Open University of Cyprus and Technological University of Cyprus)  Public schools of Higher Education  Programmes offered can be accredited by the Council of Educational Evaluation and Accreditation  Upgrading of private schools of tertiary education and establishment of private universities 13

SOME NUMERICAL DATA TypeNumber of schools Public nursery schools252 Public primary schools345 Gymnasium (lower secondary) 68 Unified Lyceums (comprehensive-upper secondary) 40 Technical Vocational Schools 12 Evening schools (secondary and technical)

Programmes of study Lower secondary Gymnasium Upper secondary Form A- Lyceum (common core) Form B and C – Lyceum (common core + options + interest/enrichment subjects)common core optionsinterest/enrichment Secondary technical and vocational educationtechnical 15

Greek language taught to foreign students in primary schools Academic year DistrictNo. of pupils Nicosia1129 Limassol 892 Larnaca/Famagusta1041 Paphos 671 Total in Cyprus3733 Total foreign pupils in primary schools- 6039

Greek language taught to foreign students in secondary schools Academic year District Gymnasium (lower secondary) Lyceum and Technical school (upper secondary) District Total Nicosia Limassol Larnaca Famagusta Paphos Total in Cyprus

EDUCATIONAL REFORM The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has launched an ambitious educational reform programme, inviting dialogue among all interested parties, with a view to turn into reality the vision of a better educational system that would meet pupils´ future needs and society's challenges 18

GOALS OF INNOVATIONS  Offer of flexible, multifaceted programmes, which combine general education, enriched, to a certain extent, with elements of technology education, in order to satisfy the needs of contemporary citizens, offering to them opportunities for lifelong learning  Offer equal educational opportunities for all, according to ability, in a way that abolishes social exclusion 19

GOALS OF INNOVATIONS (2)  Meet the needs of children with functional illiteracy and special needs in an effective way  Modernise education in order to successfully respond to international challenges, affecting its content, such as the progress in technology and science and the globalisation of economy  Service to the general goals of the country, such as the upgrading of its role as an international and peripheral educational centre 20

INNOVATIONS INTRODUCED  Restructure of the curricula from pre- primary to upper secondary education  Education of children with special needs  Pre-service teacher training (secondary education)  Induction programme for newly appointed teachers  Establishment of all day schools  Adoption of contemporary teaching methodologies 21

INNOVATIONS INTRODUCED (2)  Establishment of the Centre of Educational Research and Evaluation  Expansion of the use of ICT and, generally, of multimedia  Tertiary Education four-year cycle of studies has been established for most of the courses offered new postgraduate courses have been added to the universities curricula  Promotion of the European dimension, implemented through European Union's educational programmes  Adoption of the Bologna Process 22

WE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE IN MIND THAT  If you plan for one year, plant rice.  If you plan for ten years, plant trees.  If you plan for centuries, educate people. 23

Thank you for your attention ! Reference: A Guide to Education in Cyprus – The Cyprus Educational System (presentation): Dr Andreas Tsiakkiros 24