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

2. 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
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3. 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

4. HIGHLIGHTS FOR CYPRUS EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 07/02/2013 STAN VAN ALPHEN4

5. 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

6. 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

7. KEY INDICATORS

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

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

10. 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

11. 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
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12. 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
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13. 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

14. CHALLENGE Lifelong Learning
EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING
07/02/2013
CHALLENGE
Lifelong Learning
Participation in adult learning has continued to rise, from 12,6% in to 13,4% in 2015
It nonetheless remained respectively 13,1 pps. below the EU-28 average
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15. 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
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16. MINISTRY’S MEASURES TO
Tackle inequalities and promote inclusion

17. 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%

18. 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 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

19. 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

20. 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%

21. 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

22. 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

23. MINISTRY’S MEASURES TO
EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING
07/02/2013
MINISTRY’S MEASURES TO
Modernise education
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24. 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)
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26. 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)

27. 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)
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28. 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)
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29. EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING
07/02/2013
Measures
Strategic Plan for the System of Technical and Vocational Education and Training
Secondary VET education
Evening technical schools (second chance)
Apprenticeship System
Afternoon and evening classes
Post-secondary institutes of VET
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30. Overall umbrella of our educational policy
EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING
07/02/2013
Overall umbrella of our educational policy
MOEC’s Strategic Plan : 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
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31. 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!

32. Education and Training Monitor 2016
EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING
07/02/2013
Dr Athena Michaelidou
Education and Training Monitor 2016
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