Legislative overhaul of school aide system for children with disabilities proposed in Cyprus

On October 14, 2026, the Cyprus parliamentary Education Committee held a session to discuss the systemic failures regarding school aides for children with disabilities. Officials revealed that while the number of school aides increased from 1,875 last year to 2,165 this year, the system remains plagued by poor working conditions, low wages of approximately 900 euros, and a lack of standardized training. Stakeholders, including the Cyprus Confederation of Organizations of the Disabled (KYSYAA) and various school boards, are calling for the responsibility of hiring and oversight to be transferred from local school boards to the Ministry of Education to ensure higher professional standards.

During the session, representatives highlighted that many schools lack dedicated aides for individual students, often assigning one aide to multiple children. Concerns were raised regarding the current lack of official replacement procedures for absent aides, with reports of students acting as informal assistants to peers. Unions such as PEO have expressed dissatisfaction with being excluded from this dialogue, arguing that they possess crucial insights into the daily operational challenges. The committee is expected to push for a comprehensive legislative framework to resolve these long-standing issues and mandate professional qualifications for all personnel.