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The long-running debate over Cyprus’s Teacher Evaluation Bill appears to be heading toward a deadlock, with both the Education Ministry and teacher unions showing little sign of compromise as the November 5 deadline set by the House Education Committee approaches.
Education Minister Athena Michaelidou insists the reform must move forward, saying that while she is open to minor amendments, she will not accept changes that “alter the philosophy” of the bill.
“If, for example, they ask us to eliminate the role of the principal in the final evaluation, that’s not acceptable,” she said. “We have to end it at some point. We have to take our responsibilities and move on.”
Unions POED and OELMEK, however, say the dialogue has been disappointing and filled with ambiguities, according to Kathimerini's Adriana Pantelis. They argue the ministry has ignored key concerns about excessive bureaucracy, unclear criteria, and a lack of clarity in the evaluation process.
POED president Myria Vassiliou said the organization is frustrated by what it calls the ministry’s “ineffective” approach to consultation. “It’s not only about the role of the principal,” she said. “There are many points that remain unclear, and the official side wrongly keeps focusing on one issue.”
Vassiliou also accused the ministry of using the EU Recovery and Resilience Fund as leverage, calling it “a form of blackmail.” The ministry has warned that Cyprus risks losing funding and even facing penalties if the bill is not passed by Parliament within 2025. “If the minister knew about these tight deadlines,” she said, “she should have started the dialogue earlier.”
The union has not ruled out strike action if the final version of the bill fails to address teachers’ concerns, saying “all options are on the table.”
OELMEK vice president Andreas Mavratsas echoed those frustrations, saying the bill “contains too many ambiguities” and fails to ensure true meritocracy. He criticized the plan’s 20 evaluation criteria as “neither objective nor measurable,” noting that the ministry intends to finalize them after the bill passes, something he described as “unacceptable.”
“A philologist can’t properly evaluate a mathematics teacher,” he added, rejecting the idea that principals should have such broad authority. Like POED, OELMEK has authorization to take measures, including strikes, if no progress is made.
Meanwhile, DISY MP Giorgos Karoullas, who sits on the Education Committee, acknowledged that the bill has “gaps” — including the absence of promotion positions for principals and senior teachers in the 2026 budget. He urged both sides to find common ground before time runs out.
“We must all add water to our wine to reach a result,” Karoullas said. “We all recognize that a new teacher evaluation system is necessary for the benefit of the children.”
Still, with both sides digging in and the clock ticking, few expect the upcoming round of talks to bridge the divide.
