Newsroom
Workers in the Education Ministry support programs have given the government 15 working days to answer a straightforward question: After years on the job, where do they actually stand?
Some have worked across several programs but still do not know whether all their years of service will count. Others are waiting for money they are owed, unemployment benefits, or clear information about whether they will have work when programs restart.
They say the uncertainty has gone on for too long.
In a letter to the education and labor ministers and other responsible authorities, employees on permanent-style and temporary contracts demanded clear answers about their jobs, salaries, leave, and benefits.
If they do not receive a meaningful written response within 15 working days, they warn they may take collective action.
Among their main demands is recognition of all the years they have worked in education ministry support programs, including DRA.SE. They also want to know what will happen to the State Institutes of Further Education.
The workers are asking for experienced staff to be given priority when jobs become available, before the ministry brings in new people. They want clearer rules on annual leave, protection of their salaries, and transparency over how workers are chosen and placed in different programs.
They also want programs to begin on time. Delays can leave employees wondering when they will start working and when their next salary will arrive.
Those employed in more than one program want the ministry to clarify their status, while others are calling for unemployment benefits and outstanding payments to be paid without further delay.
If the government fails to respond, the workers say they may contact the ombudswoman, parliamentary committees, unions, and the media while considering other legal steps.
Their message is simple: people who have spent years helping Cyprus’ schools and students should not have to live from one contract, program, or promise to the next.
“Employment uncertainty, repeated delays, and the piecemeal handling of these problems cannot continue,” their letter said.
