Newsroom
For many aspiring teachers in Cyprus, landing a permanent job can feel like a waiting game that lasts for years.
Some spend years climbing the appointment list, hoping their turn will eventually come. Others study hard to pass recruitment exams, believing merit should open the door to the classroom.
Now, with the long-standing appointment list set to be abolished next year, the government says it is trying to strike a balance between the two.
Speaking after Thursday's Cabinet meeting, Education Minister Athena Michaelidou said the Ministry of Education is working on changes that would allow experienced teachers already working in schools, as well as those who have successfully passed the teacher recruitment exams, to be considered under a new system.
"The goal is to keep experienced teachers in the education system while also giving younger educators a fair chance to enter the profession," she said.
The current appointment list is due to be abolished in 2027, as required by existing legislation. Michaelidou noted that the list was originally meant to be phased out years ago, but a 10-year transition period was introduced to give those already on the list time to adjust.
Now, with that deadline approaching, some teaching unions are calling for another extension.
One of them, primary teachers' union POED, has said it will not take part in discussions on the issue until it receives the ministry's proposals in writing.
Michaelidou, however, urged educational organizations to remain at the table, saying meaningful dialogue is the only way forward.
She said the ministry's detailed proposal will be presented in writing by the end of July before being submitted to Parliament later this year.
The changes would also include a review of the recruitment exams themselves.
According to the minister, the current system has created inconsistencies over the years, with exam results from different years no longer being directly comparable. The ministry wants to overhaul the process to make it fairer and more consistent for future candidates.
At the same time, Michaelidou stressed that teachers who have already spent years working in schools on temporary or replacement contracts will not be overlooked.
She said the ministry recognizes the experience they have gained and is working on a formula that takes that service into account under the new system.
The debate is one that affects far more than teachers.
Every year, hundreds of graduates leave university hoping to begin a career in education, while experienced teachers continue waiting for permanent appointments after years of temporary work. For many families, it also raises a bigger question: Should teaching jobs be awarded based on how long someone has been waiting or on who performs best?
With the appointment list due to disappear in 2027, the answer could soon reshape how future generations of teachers enter Cyprus' classrooms.
