Cyprus parliamentary inquiry highlights severe school infrastructure and safety issues

The Cyprus Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture has launched an inquiry into the deteriorating state of school infrastructure across the country. During a session on October 7, 2026, committee chairman Chrysanthos Savvides and various stakeholders reported that there are approximately 469 prefabricated classrooms currently in use. Officials noted that this reliance on temporary structures is equivalent to the need for 20 new school buildings and warned that the situation will worsen with the lowering of the age threshold for pre-primary education.

Beyond the classroom shortages, reports highlighted hazardous conditions, including leaky roofs that posed risks of electrocution at the 3rd Primary School of Ypsonas following recent rain. The committee also scrutinized failures in accessibility for students with disabilities, insufficient sports facilities, and a lack of valid safety certificates. Representatives of school boards emphasized that budgets are drastically insufficient, citing examples where the total allocation for multiple schools could not cover the maintenance needs of a single facility. Experts pointed to understaffing at the Ministry of Education's Technical Services as a primary obstacle.

The committee has demanded that the Ministry provide specific, long-term timelines for addressing these maintenance and safety deficiencies. Lawmakers, including those from AKEL and DISY, stressed that the safety and well-being of students and teachers require urgent, comprehensive investment rather than stopgap measures.