in-cyprus 15 February 2025 - by Evangelia Sizopoulou
The Education Ministry plans to announce the opening of a new alternative school within two weeks, aimed at students with behavioural issues who are either struggling within the current system or have dropped out entirely.
The facility will operate in Nicosia at an educational venue separate from existing schools, following the abandonment of earlier plans to establish it near Pancyprian Gymnasium due to local opposition, sources told Filenews.
The pilot programme will initially accommodate four to five students until the end of the current academic year, combining traditional education with specialised support services.
“The facility will be staffed with educational psychologists, therapists, and other specialists, alongside teachers, to provide both academic instruction and personal support”, a ministry source said.
Students enrolled in the programme will sit the same end-of-year examinations as their peers in mainstream schools. Those who pass their exams will be eligible to return to regular schools in the next academic year.
The announcement comes amid criticism from parliamentarians and the secondary school teachers’ union OELMEK over delays in the project’s implementation, which missed its original October 2024 launch date.
Ministry officials confirmed at last Wednesday’s parliamentary education committee meeting that the necessary space has been secured and is being prepared, with teaching staff requirements already addressed.
The initiative represents Cyprus’s first dedicated facility for students requiring intensive behavioural intervention while maintaining their academic progress.
