Cypriot schools face supply and infrastructure delays at start of academic year

The new academic year in Cyprus has commenced amidst significant challenges as students return to classrooms lacking essential resources. Teachers' unions, including POED and OELMEK, have reported that numerous schools remain without functional air conditioning despite government promises, creating difficult thermal conditions for students and staff. Additionally, there is a widespread shortage of textbooks, affecting primary and secondary education. The Ministry of Education has attributed these delays to the failure of two contractors to fulfill their obligations.

According to Marios Stylianides, the Director of Primary Education, approximately 15 to 20 out of 650 textbooks are currently missing. Key subjects impacted include Mathematics, Science, Technology, Geography, History, and Religious Studies. To mitigate the issue, the Ministry has engaged the Government Printing Office to produce interim booklets for the start of the term, while full deliveries are expected by mid-October.

Trade unions have sharply criticized the state for these systemic failures, describing the reliance on photocopies and makeshift solutions as unacceptable. They are demanding a concrete, binding timeline for the installation of air conditioning and a long-term strategic plan to address these chronic logistical shortcomings. The Ministry maintains that it is taking immediate action to replace contractors and ensure that instructional material is provided as quickly as possible.