in-cyprus 4 October 2025
Cyprus must integrate active citizenship education from preschool age to prepare young people for democratic participation, Education Minister Athina Michaelidou said on Friday, as a senior European Union official warned that European democracy faces mounting pressure from disinformation.
Michaelidou told the Cyprus Forum that citizenship represents a fundamental priority and has been incorporated horizontally into curricula, with particular emphasis on civic education and life skills subjects.
“We cannot speak about life skills if we don’t start cultivating them early, from preschool education,” Michaelidou said, noting that children must learn their rights from a young age and encounter values such as justice, freedom and free expression.
Teacher evaluation framework aims to improve quality without punitive measures
The minister emphasised that this effort extends beyond theory into practice, with teachers playing a decisive role. Training for teachers on citizenship issues has already begun, whilst cooperation with specialists through workshops for students and educators is being strengthened, she said.
Michaelidou noted that parliament’s decision to lower the voting age makes cultivating democratic awareness throughout education even more necessary.
“We cannot ask children to have opinions and participate democratically if we don’t prepare them properly during the 12 years of school and in preschool education,” she said.
The minister also stressed the need to improve education quality through teacher evaluation. She clarified this does not represent a punitive mechanism, but rather a new professional development framework aimed at giving teachers opportunities to evolve and enhance their teaching.
The new scheme creates career progression pathways and incentives, recognising excellent teachers and providing advancement opportunities beyond traditional management positions, Michaelidou said. The goal is to inspire teachers and create the appropriate climate in schools to improve learning outcomes, she added.
Concluding her remarks, the minister noted that for the first time in 50 years a comprehensive proposal for teacher evaluation is reaching parliament, and called on political parties to examine it with a spirit of consensus.
“We all work for the children. When this is understood, then we can make the turn our education system needs,” she said.
EU official warns democracy under pressure from disinformation and interference
The European Union must invest more in education and basic skills to strengthen democracy, empower young people and bolster Europe’s competitiveness, said Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, director-general for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture at the European Commission.
Hansen warned that democracy in Europe “faces pressure” from disinformation, electoral interference and social tensions, reinforced by both external and internal factors. She emphasised that the response to these challenges must begin in schools.
“The EU’s future lies with young people, not only as voters but as active citizens. The battle for democracy in Europe starts in classrooms and even earlier, in preschool education,” Hansen said.
The director-general welcomed Cyprus’s initiative to integrate citizenship into school curricula from an early age, describing it as “decisive” for preparing future citizens. This education allows children to develop critical attitudes towards media, understand their role in democracy and actively participate in public life, she said.
Presenting the European Commission’s Union of Skills strategy, developed under the guidance of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu, Hansen noted that investments in linguistic, numerical, scientific, digital and citizenship skills are essential for Europe to remain competitive.
She said the Commission works with schools and educators through platforms supported by Erasmus+, which “does much more than ensure student mobility”.
One quarter of EU teachers over 55 to retire within decade
Hansen gave particular emphasis to the future of the teaching profession, warning that one quarter of teachers in the EU are over 55 years old and will retire within the next decade. For this purpose, the Commission will present an Agenda for Teachers and Trainers in 2026 to enhance the profession’s attractiveness and professional development.
Hansen praised Cyprus for education reforms in teacher evaluation through the Recovery Plan and for its decision to host an informal ministerial meeting on education in January 2026. She called on member states to support a strong future education budget and actively participate in the Summit on Education and Skills in November.
She expressed confidence that Cyprus will contribute substantially through its upcoming EU presidency.
The Cyprus Forum brings together policymakers, educators and civil society representatives to discuss democratic governance and civic participation. Cyprus assumes the rotating EU presidency in the second half of 2026.
