Education Minister seeks 5% budget rise to nearly €1.7 billion

Nicosia, Cyprus. Education Minister Athena Michaelidou asked the House finance committee on Friday to approve a five-per-cent increase in her ministry’s budget, which would bring it to slightly under €1.7 billion next year.

Reform plan and priorities

Michaelidou told the committee that the ministry is pursuing a coherent reform plan intended to move the education system away from isolated, fragmented actions. She said the aim is a holistic framework built on a new culture of adequacy and efficiency.

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She said the budget serves this strategy and described it as “a tool for implementing our reform policy”. According to the minister, it rests on clear priorities, targeted investments, scientific documentation and continuous evaluation.

School infrastructure and support measures

The minister said €53 million has been earmarked for school infrastructure, which is €10 million more than in this year’s budget. She said the ministry plans to upgrade school facilities and carry out 23 large-scale projects.

Michaelidou added that the ministry intends to introduce a programme offering children breakfast at no cost. She also said social workers will be placed in schools that have high rates of delinquency, to support pupils and their families.

Criticism from the education committee chairman

Chrysanthos Savvides, a Diko MP who chairs the House education committee, regretted that nearly 90 per cent of the budget goes towards teacher salaries.

He also said no government has drawn up a plan for creating classrooms or school buildings. In his view, this has left schools overcrowded and holding more pupils than they should.

Savvides said the use of portakabins as classrooms is “a huge problem in the European Cyprus of 2026”.