Cyprus ministry opens public consultation on teacher appointment reform

The Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth in Cyprus has launched a public consultation regarding a draft law aimed at modernizing the teacher appointment system. The legislative package, titled “The Public Educational Service (Amending) Law of 2026,” along with updated regulations for written examinations, has been uploaded to the e-consultation.gov.cy portal. Interested parties, including citizens and educational organizations, may submit their feedback until November 18, 2026.

While the ministry intends for these changes to enhance the quality and transparency of the public school system, the proposal remains controversial. Educational organizations continue to express strong disagreement, particularly regarding the government's stance on the permanent appointment of teachers without examination requirements. The proposed regulations specifically address candidate participation, the removal of the current grading threshold, and new statistical processing methods for results.

The ministry plans to conclude the consultation process in mid-November with the goal of submitting the final proposal to the House of Representatives by late November or early December 2026. This timeline is intended to establish the framework for future school years, although labor unions maintain their opposition to key elements of the legislative proposal.