The Department of Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, is responsible for both Public and Private Secondary Schools. The Department has a wide range of responsibilities such as:
monitoring and evaluation of public and private schools,
monitoring of the implementation of the regulations for the schools,
inspection of teaching staff,
educational planning and teachers’ placement in schools,
monitoring and evaluation of the State Educational Institutes,
monitoring of the Counseling and Vocational Education Service,
provision of training to students and adults,
providing adult education and second chance programs through the operation of evening middle and high schools,
organizing educational conferences and training workshops for teaching staff,
providing programs to talented children through the music schools and sports schools,
provision of information on education,
cooperating with various bodies, services and organizations, private and public, in and outside Cyprus,
organizing sport and cultural activities,
offering programs related to the promotion of health and development of the vulnerable groups of students, such as the “DRASE” and “EAYP” programs, as well as the program “Greek for children with immigrant biography”,
developing and implementing European programs in school units in various subjects,
Secondary Education offers equal education opportunities to all students. The main objectives of Secondary Public education are to:
offer comprehensive knowledge preparing the students for their academic or professional orientation.
promote and develop healthy, intellectual and ethical individuals,
create competent, democratic and law-abiding citizens
consolidate national identity, cultural values, global ideals for freedom, justice, peace, love and respect for people ,
promote mutual understanding and cooperation among people
Secondary Education is provided for students aged 12 to 18. For the public schools, it is offered through two three-year cycles - Gymnasium and Lyceum. The two cycles include cross-curricular programs (Health Education, Environmental Education, etc.) as well as a variety of extracurricular activities (excursions, visits, etc.) so to achieve a global and balanced development of the students’ personality. Currently, there are 64 Gymnasiums (middle schools) and 38 Lyceums (high schools) all over Cyprus. The attendance is free of charge for all classes and compulsory until the age of 15 or the completion of the first cycle, whichever comes first. Private schools -depending on the type of school – have their own curriculum, syllabus and tuition fees. Currently, there are 39 Secondary Private Schools all over Cyprus.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth has launched a series of innovations and reforms since 2015 that affected Secondary Education. Specifically,
New Rules for the Operation of Public Schools have been approved from the Parliament and are in effect since 1 September 2017,
A new timetable and curriculum for all primary and secondary education has been established and implemented since September 2015. New frameworks for access to the Public Universities of Cyprus and Universities in Greece have also been established,
The new curriculum includes Success and Competence Indicators for learning,
A new student assessment system is being promoted across primary and secondary education,
Restructuring of diagnostic tests by applying nationwide diagnostic assessment of students at two central points of the curriculum at the first year of middle school (A’ Gymnasium) in the subjects of Modern Greek and Mathematics and at the first year of High School in the subjects of Modern Greek, Mathematics and Physics,
The experimental, longitudinal study on the implementation of the Dynamic Model of Educational Efficiency for the improvement of school units has been completed. Tools have been developed for the implementation of the Model in Secondary Schools with the aim of improving learning outcomes through the development of School Action Plans,
Designing a new Teacher Evaluation System.
For more information regarding the Secondary Education Department, school curriculum, legislation and other educational programs please contact us by email at:
malexandrou@schools.ac.cy
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