Cyprus education ministry to submit new teacher appointment bill in December

The Cypriot Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth plans to submit a new bill regarding teacher appointments to the Parliament in early December 2026. Education Minister Athena Michaelidou confirmed that public consultation on the proposal is concluding this week, with the Cabinet expected to review and approve the text before the end of November. Despite ongoing dialogue with teacher unions, the Minister stated that the fundamental philosophy of the reform will remain unchanged.

The proposed system introduces a registry for current educators, a 50-50 distribution for new appointments, and mandatory examinations every three years. Minister Michaelidou explicitly ruled out permanent tenure for teachers without passing these examinations. While the government has integrated several suggestions from educators, further negotiations are expected. The Minister plans to meet with the representatives of unions POED, OELMEK, and OLTEK on November 16 or 17 to continue discussions amidst local criticism regarding the proposed changes.

While the Ministry remains open to feedback until the bill is officially tabled, the administrative timeline remains fixed. Official invitations for the upcoming meetings with unions have not yet been distributed, though the government remains committed to its established schedule for legislative progression.