The Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare has initiated immediate procedures, in coordination with the Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB) and the Association of Private Preschool Education of Cyprus (SIPEK), to make it mandatory for nursery schools to notify parents or guardians on the same day if a child is absent without prior notice.
Specifically, in a letter addressed to OEB and SIPEK, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Marilena Evangelou informed both organisations about the ongoing processes, emphasising that the aim is to strengthen safety measures that could help prevent tragic incidents. She referred to the event on Friday, 14 March 2025, which resulted in the death of an infant in Nicosia.
Additionally, the Deputy Minister urged SIPEK members to implement this measure immediately, even before the formal amendment of the relevant decree is completed.
OEB and SIPEK have agreed to the measure, expressing their readiness for immediate implementation.
According to an official statement, “At present, this practice is at the discretion of individual nursery schools. However, considering modern-day circumstances and lifestyle, as well as the fact that the current legislation was enacted under different conditions, the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, in collaboration with OEB and SIPEK, deems this change necessary.
We believe that introducing a mandatory communication policy will contribute to more immediate parental notification and timely response in case of emergency, thereby enhancing child safety.”
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