Education Minister to submit new teacher appointment bill by year-end

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou announced on Friday that the government plans to submit a bill concerning a new teacher appointment system to parliament by late November or early December. The announcement followed the presentation of the Ministry’s 2027 budget to the House finance committee, signaling the administration's determination to move forward despite strong opposition from teachers' unions.

Minister Michaelidou described the unions' unilateral declaration of a deadlock and their subsequent letter to President Nikos Christodoulides as problematic. She maintained that the government has already demonstrated a willingness to support educators. The reform aims to address systemic distortions created during the lengthy 12-year transitional period that followed the 2015 legislation, which originally mandated the abolition of the old appointment list. The Ministry emphasizes that the new system must balance the protection of current staff with the fairness required for candidates who pass competitive exams.

While teachers' unions have threatened to escalate industrial action in response to the proposed changes, the Ministry remains committed to its timeline. No further negotiations are indicated, as the government views the 2015 transition as having already provided sufficient time for policy adjustments.