President Nikos Christodoulides said education remains the government’s highest priority as he visited Agios Dometios Gymnasium on Monday to mark the start of the new school year.
Speaking to journalists, Christodoulides said education affects all areas of government policy and stressed that the government was pursuing continuous reforms across the sector.
He pointed to changes involving teachers, including the appointment system, evaluation and training, as well as ongoing curriculum reforms focused more strongly on skills.
The President also said more than €132 million was being invested in school infrastructure.
Air conditioning to reach all primary schools
Asked about students’ concerns over high classroom temperatures and the availability of air conditioning, Christodoulides said the students were right to raise the issue.
He said the government had made progress with its air-conditioning programme since taking office in 2023, with installation completed in schools in some districts and nearing completion in others.
Christodoulides said the work was being carried out in cooperation with school boards and praised the Nicosia School Board for its work.
He pledged that air conditioning would be available in all primary schools across Cyprus by the end of his current term.
The President also said he would speak directly with students during his visit to hear about conditions at the school.
More all-day schools planned
Christodoulides also highlighted the expansion of optional all-day schools, saying another 60 would be added this year and that Cyprus now has more than 350.
He said the government’s goal was for all primary schools to operate as optional all-day schools by 2028.
The President linked the expansion to concerns raised by parents over the supervision of children at the beginning and end of the school day.
Message to first-year pupils
Addressing first-year pupils, Christodoulides said they were beginning a new journey with new opportunities ahead of them.
He said the government was entering a new phase of education reform, covering teachers, curricula, pupils and school infrastructure.
Christodoulides said he wanted to use his visit not only to speak to the children but also to listen to them and discuss their experiences.
Also read: 67,000 children head back to primary schools and kindergartens today
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
