Teachers’ unions prepare measures over proposed appointment system reform

Nicosia, Cyprus. Teachers’ organisations are preparing to announce measures to protest the education ministry’s plans for the teacher appointment system after recent meetings with Education Minister Athena Michaelidou failed to produce an agreement.

The unions said the proposed changes could be unfair to many teachers and called for safeguards for those employed on indefinite contracts.

Union concerns

Cyprus News Agency sources said the teachers’ organisations met Michaelidou over recent days but did not reach a conclusion they found satisfactory.

At a meeting on Thursday, the organisations said the proposed system would be “unfair” to a large number of teachers.

The ministry had not presented an updated proposal and appeared determined to abolish the appointment list without securing teachers’ rights, the sources said.

The organisations’ request for legislative amendments to prevent teachers on indefinite contracts from being made redundant was not accepted, according to the sources. The development displeased unions Poed, Oelmek and Oltek.

Planned reform

On September 2, Michaelidou said the government was preparing an updated proposal to reform the teacher appointment system, while unions warned they would oppose changes they believed could leave experienced teachers without permanent positions.

Speaking after a House education committee meeting, she said the ministry was consulting educational organisations and aimed to finalise its proposal in the autumn.

The current appointment list is scheduled to be abolished on September 1 next year. Under the existing system, teachers may join an appointment list and wait for permanent employment in public schools.

Legislation has introduced reforms to gradually replace the list with a system based on examinations, with the transition expected to end in 2027.

Michaelidou said the government would not back down from reforming the system.