Cyprus all-day schools still short of roughly 10% of staff, MPs told
Lawmakers pressed the education ministry to close the staffing gap and ensure all-day units are fully ready when the school year begins.
All-day schools across primary and secondary education in Cyprus are still running with a staffing shortfall of around one in ten posts, the House education committee heard on Wednesday, as reported by Cyprus Mail. Committee chairman Chrysanthos Savvides, a Diko MP, noted the programme has grown from nine units in 1999 to 383 today, with enrolment climbing from 7,000 to 18,000 children.
A fresh list of appointees has been drawn up to help plug the gap, though technical and vocational schools that expressed interest had no places available. Akel MP Christos Christofides argued the ministry must guarantee all-day schools open on day one and that teachers learn their postings before summer ends, warning that families otherwise face weeks of uncertainty.
“It is not possible for parents who planned to take their children to all-day schools to not know what to do with them for about a month,” Christofides said.
What it means for residents
For working parents who rely on all-day schools to cover their day, late hiring and unfilled posts translate into last-minute childcare scrambles and the risk of classes merging or closing. The committee's push for earlier confirmation of postings and contracts designed to draw teachers in is the practical lever to watch.
- Check postings early: confirm with your school whether your child's all-day unit is fully staffed before term starts.
- Plan a backup: keep alternative childcare in mind for the first weeks in case openings slip.
- Watch the contract change: a shift to 29-hour contracts could affect how quickly vacancies are filled.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
