Newsroom
The Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth on Friday rejected social media claims that it plans to bar children with disabilities from public schools, calling the reports “misleading” and emphasizing its commitment to inclusive education.
In a statement, the Ministry said that placement decisions for students with disabilities are based solely on professional assessments and tailored to each child’s developmental needs. Officials highlighted ongoing efforts, including hiring specialized teachers, providing individualized learning programs, and training educators in inclusive practices. Director General Giorgos Panteli described recent demonstrations in Limassol against the inclusion of certain students in mainstream classrooms as “unfounded.”
Disability rights advocates, however, have denounced what they call “arbitrary exclusion” of children with disabilities. Youla Pitsiali, president of the Pancyprian Organization for Cerebral Palsy and Other Disabilities Hug of Hope, criticized the system requiring children with disabilities to prove their eligibility for schooling, calling it discriminatory. Pitsiali and allied organizations plan a demonstration outside the Education Ministry on Monday, October 27, to demand that excluded students be allowed to return to mainstream classes.
“The decision that excluded these children must be revoked immediately so they can return to class with their peers,” Pitsiali said, framing the issue as part of a broader systemic problem rooted in a 1999 law.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions in Cyprus over how best to balance professional assessments with inclusive education policies, as advocates push for reforms to ensure children with disabilities are not singled out or denied access to mainstream learning environments.
