Filenews 17 November 2025 - by Evangelia Sizopoulou
There is a significant increase in the number of referrals of students to educational psychologists of the Ministry of Education, during the school year 2023 – 2024. These cases reached 10,598 compared to the 9,316 recorded in the previous school year. Regarding the gender of students, the data show that the majority (65% and 6,905) are boys and the remaining 35% (3,693) are girls.
In addition to the above data, which were recently presented by "F", there are now several other points around the field of the Educational Psychology Service (YEPS), which are of particular interest. Points and data that are officially recorded in the annual report of the Ministry of Education for 2024.
As mentioned, the field of individual cases of students is the sector that basically absorbs most of the working time of educational psychologists. Children are referred to them for assessment, counselling, diagnosis or other intervention through the Identification and Support Mechanism or through the local District Committees for Special Education and Training (EEEAE), which operate in accordance with the "Education and Training of Children with Special Needs Law" and/or in rare cases directly by the parents.
Regarding the data of the school year 2023 – 2024 and the profile of the children who received intervention from the experts are:
- In 2019 – 2020, 7,229 children were referred.
- In 2020 – 2021, 7,789 children were referred.
- In 2021 – 2022, 8,480 children were referred.
- In 2022 – 2023, 9,316 children were referred.
- In 2023 – 2024, 10,598 children were referred.
Regarding the type of referrals, the majority of the cases managed by the Ministry of Health concern old cases and as it is pointed out, this is mainly attributed to two factors: a) A significant part of the work of educational psychologists concerns re-evaluations through the District Committee for Special Education and b) many cases continue to need support and monitoring for consecutive school years. These cases, according to official data, are: 3,742 (35%) new cases of students and 6,856 (65%) old cases.
Of particular interest is the analysis regarding the source of referral of students to the competent YEPS. The sources are the school after they have followed the Identification and Support Mechanism for children with learning, emotional or other difficulties, parents and guardians and EEEAE. The figures for this point are as follows:
- Directly to the YEPS by parents: 114 cases (1%).
- Directly to the YEPS from school: 4,668 (44.1%).
- Of the EEEAE: 5,734 (54.1%).
- Other source: 82 (0.8%).
The picture of referrals by province
Based on the data included in the 2024 annual report of the Ministry of Education, the Limassol – Paphos District Office managed the largest number of cases, followed by the Nicosia District Office and the Larnaca – Famagusta District Office.
Analytically:
- Nicosia: 3,477 cases, of which 1,162 were new and 2,315 old (32.8%).
- Limassol: 3,098 cases, of which 1,167 new and 1,931 old (29.35%)
- Paphos: 1,308 cases, of which 473 new and 835 old (12.35%).
- Larnaca: 2.041 cases of which 694 new and 1.347 old (19,2%)
- Famagusta: 674 cases, of which 249 new and 425 old (6.4%).
Primary Education holds the "lion's share"
Among the data cited, the distribution of these incidents at the various educational levels is of particular interest. According to what is recorded, in the school year 2023 - 2024, most of the incidents referred and managed by the Ministry of Health came from Primary Education.
Specifically:
- Pre-primary Education: 1,366 cases (12.9%).
- Primary Education: 4,488 cases (42.4%).
- Secondary Education: 2,544 cases (24%).
- Upper Secondary Education: 1,221 cases (11.5%).
- Technical Education: 634 cases (6%).
- Special Schools: 220 cases (2%).
- Children who do not attend: 110 cases (1%).
- Children in home education: 15 cases (0.15%).
The picture of the diagnoses and the environmental conditions of the children referred
As recorded, the diagnoses of cases concern very general categories, however, they give the picture of the referrals of students to the YEPS.
Specifically: Learning difficulties include general or specific learning difficulties (Specific Learning Disability of Reading, Specific Learning Disability of Written Expression, Specific Learning Disability of Mathematics). Communication disorders include language expression disorder, stuttering, phonological disorder, social communication disorder. Mental weakness refers to deficits in mental and adaptive function. Other neurodevelopmental disorders include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, Movement Disorders. Emotional difficulties include depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, eating and eating disorders, etc. Behavioural problems include conduct disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, aggression. Health problems include all syndromes, cerebral palsy, etc. and sensory problems include hearing and vision loss.
Analytically:
- Learning Difficulties: 3,269 incidence (31%).
- Communication disorders: 130 °C incidence (1.2%).
- Mental Weakness: 422 the incidence (4%).
- Other neurodevelopmental disorders: 1,126 the incidence (10.6%).
- Behavioural Problems – violence, aggression: 349 incidence (3.3%).
- *Behavioural problems – violence, aggression with comorbidity of other diagnoses: 827 incidence (7.8%).
- Comorbidity of diagnoses: 3,101 and a percentage of 29.2%.
- Emotional difficulties: 941 and a percentage of 8.9%.
- Health Problems: 332 and a percentage of 3.1%.
- Sensory difficulties: 56 and 0.5%.
- Undiagnosed: 45 and 0.4%.
As noted, the data show that most children have a diagnosis of Learning Disabilities with or without comorbidity diagnoses. The second largest diagnostic category is that of Behavioural Problems – Violence – Aggression with or without comorbidity diagnoses. This is followed by the third of the Other Neurodevelopmental Problems that include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism and Movement Disorders.
Regarding the environmental conditions of the children who were referred to:
- Familial factors: 1,534 cases (14.5%).
- School agents: 2,298 (21.7%).
- Social factors: 505 (4.8%).
- Family, school and social factors: 929 (8.8%).
- Family and school factors: 573 (5.4%).
- School and social factors: 287 (2.7%).
- Social and family factors: 637 (6%).
- None factor: 3,835 (36.1%).
