The Educational Psychology Service (EPS) is a small, independent service reporting directly to the Director General of the Ministry of Education and Culture. It serves the needs of students at all levels of education from Pre-Primary through Primary and Secondary including Vocational and Technical Education.
Mission and aims
The mission of the Educational Psychology Service is the promotion of mental health and the facilitation of learning and all-round development of each person who participates in our educational system. Through the promotion of the application of psychological principles to educational practice, the EPS aims to contribute significantly towards the qualitative democratisation of the institution of school, acceptance and appreciation of diversity and the scholastic success of all students.
Educational Psychologists provide services to students, parents and teachers. Services provided may be either in the form of individualised help to children who present with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties or in the form of more generalised preventive interventions and programs.
It is to be underscored that although psychological services are provided to children, parents and teachers, in cases of conflicting interests, the Educational Psychologist is ethically bound to defend the rights of the child.
Historical overview Although educational psychology services within the Cyprus educational system were available since 1954, it was not until 1995 that the small team of nine Educational Psychologists attained formal recognition and structuring through the formation of the Educational Psychology Service. In the year 2000, by Ministerial Council decree, a process of upgrading was begun. Today the EPS numbers a total of 51 psychologists who staff three district offices in Nicosia, Limassol-Paphos and Larnaca-Ammochostos. Out of these, 21 psychologists serve in permanent organic posts.
Structure The Service is structured as follows:
One (1) Principal Educational Psychologist who heads the Service
Four (4) Senior Educational Psychologists, three of whom head each of the three
District offices in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca while one acts as assistant to the head of Service.
Four (4) Educational Psychologists Grade A
Forty two (42) Educational Psychologists placed in the district offices. Each Educational Psychologist is responsible for a number of schools and students. Currently, the psychologist-student ratio is 1:3,500.
All Educational Psychologists of the EPS hold a degree in psychology and postgraduate professional qualifications in educational/school/clinical psychology.
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