Teacher unions protest as educational reform talks stall

On October 6, 2026, the Cypriot Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth presented an updated proposal for a new teacher appointment system, intended to take effect on September 1, 2027. Minister Athena Michaelidou stated that the reform aims to modernize the system, improve education quality, and resolve existing distortions. The updated plan proposes a closed registry for existing teachers, the removal of the minimum passing grade for ranking examinations, and a 50-50 split for filling vacancies between the closed registry and the appointment list.

Despite the ministry’s efforts to ensure the stability of current contract and indefinite-term teachers, union organizations including POED, OELMEK, and OLTEK expressed dissatisfaction, arguing their core demands remain unmet. The primary point of contention is the lack of guaranteed permanent placement for long-serving educators without standardizing assessments.

Education officials have granted the unions one week to provide written feedback on the proposal, with a final meeting expected to follow. However, the unions have rejected the proposal's current state and confirmed that a protest scheduled for Thursday outside the Presidential Palace will proceed as planned. The ministry maintains that the reforms are necessary for the future of the educational sector and that they cannot prioritize union requests over systemic improvements.