Tensions in the Cyprus education sector regarding reform and academic performance

In April 2018, only 1,869 out of 5,000 teacher candidates passed a professional examination, representing a 37.2% success rate. Subsequently, June exam results showed students averaged 9 out of 20, with particularly low performance in Greek language and mathematics. In July, a dispute escalated between the Ministry of Education and teacher unions—OELMEK, POED, and OLTEK—regarding a government decision to reorganize teaching hours and abolish seniority-based workload reductions. Minister of Education Costas Kadis (referred to as Costas Hambiaouris in the text) maintained the government's stance despite persistent strikes. Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides publicly criticized the unions, accusing them of prioritizing financial interests over professional duties. These events occurred amid broader discussions about the structure of the Cypriot education system, which mandates schooling until age 15 and guarantees free education for citizens and legal foreign residents. The government's proposed reforms and the unions' resistance created significant uncertainty regarding the start of the new school year.