The year 2022 was an exciting year for the ministry of education of Cyprus. It ushered in concrete steps aimed at enhancing innovation in teaching methods. The educators and the students alike embraced these learning tools. These building blocks would form the basis of future educational curricula.
Financial education program
Cyprus established a financial education program in 2022. The aim was to promote financial literacy in primary and secondary schools. It is a key skill that empowers students to make conscious and informed decisions. The program applies the HELITFIN 2 method. This format helps in developing financial curricula in its classrooms.
HELITFIN 2 contextualizes financial education curricula and adapts them to their respective needs. The project connects financial literacy to citizenship education to make responsible collective decisions. It also aims to promote policy change and dialogue on financial education.
Improved education system
The students of Cyprus scored very high in the international surveys. The performances in physics and mathematics were on par with the international students. This could be due to education reform. The reform efforts are ongoing in the schools in Cyprus. The top entrants in the schools in Cyprus stand testimony to the knowledge they acquire in schools and the excellence they continuously strive for on a continuous basis. The encouragement from the parents has made it possible for the students to improve their scores. They get help with assignments from EduBirdie writers to improve research essays. It’s the top writing site that students rate highly.
High-quality education
Cyprus spends about 7% of its total GDP on high-quality and affordable education. The disciplines offered are hospitality, tourism, and business. Most schools give students the chance to choose their course. The universities let them take on the desired load.
The exams in the Cyprus education system do not follow a pass-fail system. Instead, they focus on research essays, testing, and group assignments. The MBA programs cater to the best business practices of well-established corporations. This adaptation of the programs makes graduate students employable.
Coronavirus effect
Cyprus acted fast to overcome the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. It switched to distance and digital learning in a short time. It prepared for digital tests. At the same time, they ensured that the quality of education was not compromised in any manner.
Cyprus upgraded the infrastructure to ensure education moved forward without any glitches. As a result, there were no gaps in the school year of the students. They donated computers, tablets, and internet cards. Before, they were only given to students who could not afford them. The Pancyprian examination results reflected this investment and dedication. They were able to maintain the same scores as the previous years.
SALL
The Schools As Living Labs, SALL, is an open schooling method. Fifty schools in Cyprus have implemented this method. They take part in building local communities. They aim to engage societal actors in living-lab tasks. Living labs aim to do away with the outdated form of education and convert schools into open living labs.
The SALL calls for new methods to foster the skills that economies and societies need for the future. It emphasizes innovative strategies to tackle global issues and societal needs. The aim is to make teaching more systemic, inclusive, and relevant.
The Youth Makerspace
The innovative program called The Youth Makerspace helps to cultivate horizontal skills. These are transferable skills that they get through experimenting with prototypes. The program registers young people in advanced workshops. There they give students access to specialized equipment to learn new technology. The peer-learning facilitates the advancement of skills and the effective implementation of business ideas.
Examples of equipment at the workshops include 3D-based printers and virtual reality. Drones, robotics, raspberry pi, and Arduino are also used. The workshops also provide academic research guidance. It follows the standards developed by established universities and educational institutions abroad.
Research unit upgrade
The research unit carries out deeper applied research on educational practices. Based on this, the unit would publish a research paper. It would give out an evaluation of the education system in Cyprus. This would form the basis for the implementation of a revamped education policy.
The curriculum would take into consideration the needs of the students. The restructuring of the skills of educators would be the focus of the reform. They would also address the competencies of the future citizens of Cyprus. The unit would then develop a new curriculum. A committee of experts would recommend what changes to make.
New pilot program
The ministry of education also cares about the social issues of the students. The classrooms will be using air purifiers at the suggestion of the health ministry. These portable devices do not need any infrastructural development. And they are effective during these pandemic days. The ministry will streamline the ongoing textbook distribution. This is to ensure that they reach the students in time.
To enrich the learning experience, the ministry would create digital books. They would phase out the physical books. The goal is to use these pedagogical tools to change the landscape of the educational system. It would prepare the students to face the challenges of the future.
Projects under progress
The ministry of education announced that currently, there are several projects under progress. These are for 25 schools with a cost of €10m. The infrastructure projects for these schools cost €30m. They have completed some projects, whereas certain others are still work in progress.
Among the projects that the ministry has completed is the Pancyprian gymnasium restoration for €6m. The building of a kindergarten for Paphos is also a case in point. This would be followed by the sorting out of staffing issues to expedite the procedures so the year starts smoothly. Free education for children in their formative years will be implemented in 2023.
Conclusion
The investment in the educational system of Cyprus is a testament to the value the country places in equipping today’s children to face the future as informed citizens. Central to this investment is building innovative learning tools, stimulating vocations, enabling creativity, fostering entrepreneurship, and nurturing talents through high-quality education.
