Cabinet approves all-day high school in all provinces

All-day high schools will be introduced in all provinces of Cyprus beginning with the 2023/24 school year.

Following a proposal by the Ministry, a decision was taken today at the Cabinet of Ministers on the institutionalization and the prospect of extending the full-day school in secondary education, according to Prodromos Prodromou, Minister of Education, Sports and Youth.

"This move is part of the President's governance program, and its trial implementation began last year at the Pancyprian High School," he explained.

He stated that the trial implementation was extended this year to Limassol, at the Lanitio High School, "while today it has been decided that based on the very good results we had in the implementation in the first year at the Pancyprian High School and the extension now in Limassol, the plan is that from the next school year 2023/24 we will have a full-day high school in each province, namely in Larnaca, Paphos, and free Famagusta.

According to Prodromou, the proposal for the all-day high school combines two directions: Greek language and culture and STEAM, which is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.

"It's an intriguing approach. It's not about adding extra lessons or curriculum to the morning curriculum. It is about enhancing schools through a project-based learning method "The Education Minister emphasized this.

He went on to say that "this operation of the all-day secondary school in its perspective will also include supplementary Greek language courses for students of migrant background, as well as support courses, which will be organized as the needs arise from the literacy program in the sixth grade of primary school."

"In this way, having two classes in Nicosia in the Pancyprian, starting (this year) in Limassol, we start next year in the rest of the provinces so that we have a full-day high school in each province, and then, after the full evaluation of this institution, decisions can be taken for further implementation on a pan-Cypriot basis," Prodromou explained.

"What is important is that we are implementing the government's program to provide a full-day school structure in secondary education as well," concluded Prodromou. 

[This article was translated from its Greek original]