Cyprus to pilot new applied learning stream in six lyceums

Starting in September 2026, the Cyprus Ministry of Education will launch a new pilot educational stream titled 5b, focusing on "Applied Learning in Commerce and Services." This initiative, developed under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, will be implemented across six schools: Idaliou Lyceum, Laniteio Lyceum, Livadion Lyceum, Lefkaron Lyceum, Paralimniou Lyceum, and Archbishop Makarios III A’ Lyceum in Paphos.

The program aims to equip students with practical skills tailored to current job market demands, particularly for professions currently lacking dedicated study paths. Giorgos Koutsidis, Deputy Director of Secondary Education, noted that the curriculum includes six new subjects such as Office Management, Applied Informatics, Marketing and Sales Techniques, and Green Transition and Applied Biology. While the stream is designed to facilitate direct entry into the workforce, it maintains pathways for students to pursue tertiary education if they choose to do so.

Chrysanthos Savvides, President of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture, has welcomed the initiative as a way to provide students with more choices. However, he stated that he has officially registered the matter for discussion within the committee to ensure transparency and proper evaluation of the curriculum design and implementation plans.