Education and training monitor 2022 : Cyprus.
Date: 2022-11-18
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture
Subjects: Cyprus, coronavirus disease, early childhood, education policy, education statistics, learning, schooling, updating of skills, vocational training

CYPRUS

Education and Training Monitor 2022EuropeanEducation  AreaLuxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2022

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ISBN 978-92-76-56117-0 

ISSN 2466-9997 

doi:10.2766/746101 

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Education and Training 
Monitor 2022 

CYPRUS 

Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture 

2022 

EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CYPRUS 

2 

The Education and Training Monitor’s country reports 
present  and  assess  the  main  recent  and  ongoing 
policy  development  at  all  education  levels  in  EU 
Member  States.  They  provide  the  reader  with  more 
in-depth insight of the performance of countries with 
regard to the EU level targets agreed within the EEA. 
They  are  based  on  the  most  up-to-date  quantitative 
and qualitative evidence available.  

Section 1 presents a statistical overview of the main 
education  and  training  indicators.  Section  2  focuses 
on  how  the  Member  State  has  addressed  or  is 
addressing one of its education challenges. Section 3 
covers early childhood education and care. Section 4 
deals with school education policies. Section 5 covers 
vocational education and training and adult learning. 
Finally,  Section  6  discusses  measures  in  higher 
education. 

The  Education  and  Training  Monitor’s  country  reports  were 
prepared  by  the  European  Commission’s  Directorate-General  for 
Education,  Youth,  Sport  and  Culture  (DG  EAC),  with  contributions 
from  the  Directorate-General  for  Employment,  Social  Affairs  and 
Inclusion (DG EMPL).  

The document was completed on 30 September 2022 
More background data at: 
https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eac/education-and-training-monitor-
2022/en/ 

2022 Education and Training Monitor - Country analysis 

November 2022 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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3 

1. Key indicators  

Figure 1: Key indicators overview 

EU-level targets

2030 target

Participation in early childhood education
(from age 3 to starting age of compulsory primary education)

Low achieving eighth-graders in digital skills 

Low achieving 15-year-olds in:

Reading 

Maths 

Science 

Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24)

≥ 96 %

< 15%

< 15%

< 15%

< 15%

< 9 %

Cyprus

EU

2011

2021

2011

2021

69.4% 13

91.1% 20

91.8% 13

93.0% 20

:  

32.8% 12

42.0% 12

38.0% 12

:  

43.7% 18

36.9% 18

39.0% 18

:  

19.7% 09

22.7% 09

18.2% 09

:  

22.5% 18

22.9% 18

22.3% 18

11.3%

10.2% b

13.2%

9.7% b

Exposure of VET graduates to work-based learning

≥  60 % (2025)

:  

38.3% u

:  

60.7%

Tertiary educational attainment (age 25-34)

 ≥ 45 % 

50.5%

58.3% b

33.0%

41.2% b

≥ 47 % (2025)

Participation of adults in learning 
(age 25-64)

Other contextual indicators

Equity indicator (percentage points)

Early leavers from education and training (age 
18-24)

Native

EU-born

Non EU-born

Upper secondary level attainment (age 20-24, ISCED 3-8)

Tertiary educational attainment
(age 25-34)

Education investment

Native

EU-born

Non EU-born

Public expenditure on education
as a percentage of GDP
Public expenditure on 
education 
as a share of the total general 
government expenditure

:

:  

7.3%

18.3%

24.3%

87.6%

58.8%

36.0%

34.9%

:  

25.4 18

3.9% b

20.5% bu

31.4% b

89.7% b

69.4% b

38.7% b

36.9% b

:

:

11.9%

25.3%

31.4%

79.6%

34.3%

28.8%

23.4%

:

19.30 18

8.5% b

21.4% b

21.6% b

84.6% b

42.1% b

40.7% b

34.7% b

6.3%  

5.9% 20

4.9%  

5.0% 20

14.9%  

13.0% 20

10.0%  

9.4% 20

Sources: Eurostat (UOE, LFS, COFOG); OECD (PISA). Further information can be found in Annex I and at Monitor Toolbox. Notes: The 2018 
EU  average  on  PISA  reading  performance  does  not  include  ES;  the  indicator  used  (ECE)  refers  to  early-childhood  education  and  care 
programmes  which  are  considered  by  the  International  Standard  Classification  of  Education  (ISCED)  to  be  ‘educational’  and  therefore 
constitute the first level of education in education and training systems – ISCED level 0; the equity indicator shows the gap in the share 
of underachievement in reading, mathematics and science (combined) among 15-year-olds between the lowest and highest quarters of 
socio-economic status; b = break in time series, u = low reliability, : = not available, 09 = 2009, 13 = 2013, 18 = 2018, 20 = 2020.  

Figure 2: Position in relation to strongest and weakest performers  

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Early childhood education

Underachievement in reading

Underachievement in maths

Underachievement in science

Early leavers from education and training

Exposure of VET graduates to work based learning

Tertiary educational attainment

Country 
performance

Strongest
performer

Weakest 
performer

EU average

EU target

Source: DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, based on data from Eurostat (LFS 2021, UOE 2020) and OECD (PISA 2018).

2022 Education and Training Monitor - Country analysis 

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4 

2. A focus on inclusive 
education and early 
leaving from 
education and training 
Early  leaving  from  education  and  training 
(ELET)  has  increased  since  2015,  affecting 
especially  foreign-born  young  people.   With 
one  of  the  EU’s  highest  asylum  application-to-
inhabitant  ratio,  integrating  asylum  seekers  into 
the  education  system  is  not  easy.  The  proportion 
of  young  people  (18-34)  among  recently  arrived 
asylum  seekers  is  especially  high  (62%  in  2018). 
The  early  leaving  rate  (27.9%),  much  higher 
among  foreign-born  young  people  (EU  average 
21.5%), 
(+1.3 
percentage  points  (pps)  since  2020).  By  contrast, 
the rate of native-born early leavers was 3.9% in 
2021  vs  the  EU  average  8.5%.  The  highest 
proportion  of  early  leavers  in  2021  was  reported 
in  urban  areas  (10.7%):  an  increase  of  6.9  pps 
from  2015  (3.8%).  About  two  thirds  of  early 
leavers  are  boys.  Support  for  students  at  risk  of 
dropping  out  of  secondary  education  is  provided 
as  an  integrated  project  under  the  EU’s  Technical 
Support 
(TSI)  and  early  warning 
systems are in place. However, data collection is 

shows  a  worsening 

Instrument 

trend 

insufficient  and  the  method  most  used  relies  on 
school-by-school  reporting  (Donlevy  V.  et  al., 
2019).  There  are  targeted  support  measures  for 
pupils  from  a  migrant  background,  supported  by 
the  European  Social  Fund  (ESF+)  through  the 
DRASE+  project  ‘School  and  social  integration 
actions’ 
(European  Commission,  2021).  The 
Ministry  of  Education,  Culture,  Youth  and  Sports 
(Ministry  of  Education)  also  helps  teachers  to 
manage linguistic and cultural diversity in schools. 

The  Ministry  of  Education  supports  pupils 
with disabilities or other special educational 
needs (SEN). A planned policy framework reform 
will  be  based  on  a  TSI  project  and 
its 
recommendations. The main purpose is to support 
the  academic  and  social  development  of  pupils 
with disabilities or other special educational needs 
to help them integrate into mainstream classes. In 
the  2019/2020  school  year,  5  679  SEN  students 
studied  in  Cypriot  classes  in  pre-primary  and 
primary  education  and  4  711  SEN  students  in 
general  secondary  education  and  secondary 
vocational  education  and  training  (VET).  Special 
education and support in mainstream classes and 
in  addition  to  regular  schooling  is  provided  for 
children  from  age  3  until  they  complete  their 
studies (including VET and higher education).  

Figure 3: Early leavers from education and training in Cyprus 2021 (%) 

%

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Total

Males

Females

Cities

Rural areas

Native-born

EU

Cyprus

Born in another
EU country

Born outside the
EU

Source: Eurostat (EU-LFS), [edat_lfse_02]; [edat_lfse_14]; [edat_lfse_30]. Note: Data for Cyprus on rural areas and ESL born in another 
EU country are low reliable. 

2022 Education and Training Monitor - Country analysis 

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5 

Where necessary, the appropriate infrastructure is 
also being developed in schools. 

The low level of basic skills among pupils in 
Cyprus  indicates  socio-economic  disparities. 
PISA  2018  indicated  that  Cyprus  has  a  high 
proportion of low achievers in reading, maths and 
science  and  a  low  proportion  of  top  performers 
compared to other EU countries. Almost two out of 
three  students  from  the  lowest  socio-economic 
quartile are low achievers in reading (vs 36.4% EU 
average).  In  the  top  socio-economic  quartile,  one 
out of three students is a low achiever, one of the 
EU’s  highest  proportions.  At  25.4  pps, 
the 
difference  in  the  proportion  of  low  achievers 
between  low  and  high  socio-economic  status  is 
high  (EU:  19.3  pps).  There  is  also  a  significant 
gender  gap  in  reading,  with  girls  outperforming 
boys by 47 score points on average. Compounding 
this, there is the risk that the pandemic will have a 
long-lasting negative effect on learning outcomes. 
Targeted social inclusion campaigns in schools are 
ongoing  and  curricula  have  been  revised  at  all 
education levels to support the acquisition of skills 
and competences (Donlevy, V. et al., 2019). 

Cyprus is among the few EU Member States 1 
whose  higher  education  strategy  focuses 
exclusively  on  the  social  dimension,  equity, 
inclusion  and  diversity.  Equal  opportunities  to 
access higher education is the strategy’s bedrock. 
In  higher  education,  the  State  Student  Welfare 
Service’s  scholarship  schemes  give  students 
financial aid based on socio-economic criteria and 
academic  excellence.  Free  online  education  is 
provided by the Open University of Cyprus free for 
undergraduate programmes. 

1  

Croatia, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland. 

the 

An  analysis  of 

Box 1: Good practice: Inclusive education and 
early leavers from education and training 
The European Commission helped Cyprus in 2021, 
under  its  Technical  Support  Instrument  (TSI),  to 
improve  the  engagement  of  students  at  risk  of 
dropping  out  of  school.  The  project  was 
implemented by the Ministry of Education, Culture, 
Youth and Sports.  
The support provided consisted of the following.  
i) 
reasons  students 
disengage  from  and  drop  out  of  secondary 
education, and of the policy measures in place to 
address these reasons. 
ii)  A  set  of  policy  recommendations  to  improve 
the engagement of secondary students who have 
difficulties  and  to  re-engage  those  who  left 
education and training early. 
iii)  An  action  plan  for  effectively  implementing 
those policy recommendations. 
The  action  plan  gave  the  Cypriot  authorities 
guidance  on  how  to  provide  differentiable  and 
equitable  educational  opportunities  for  students 
struggling  in  school  and  students  who  have 
dropped  out.  It  will  help  to  further  reduce  early 
school leaving. 

Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/commission-supports-
cyprus-address-students-disengagement-and-early-school-
leaving-2021-mar-30_en 
Source:  

3.  Early childhood 

education and care 
Despite  coordinated  efforts,  accessible  and 
affordable  early  childhood  education  and 
care  (ECEC)  remains  a  challenge.  At  91.1%, 
participation  in  early  childhood  education  from 
age 3 to the starting age for compulsory primary 
education is below the EU average (93%) and the 
(European 
EU-level 
Commission,  2020).  Public  spending  on  early 
childhood education remains among the lowest in 
the  EU.  Cyprus  relies  heavily  on  informal  settings 
or private institutions (OECD  2021), especially for 
children under 4. Through the ‘Thalia 2021-2027’ 
ESF+  (European  Social  Fund)  programme,  the 
European Structural and Investment Funds aim to 

target  for  2030 

(96%) 

2022 Education and Training Monitor - Country analysis 

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6 

expand  capacities  and  provide  a  greater  amount 
of affordable ECEC (European Commission, 2022). 
Affordability is important, with net childcare costs 
in  Cyprus  being  high:  over  one  third  of  median 
female earnings (OECD 2021). 

The  extension  of  free  compulsory  pre-
primary  education  from  age  4  will  be 
implemented  in  three  stages  until  2026 
under  the  EU  Recovery  and  Resilience 
Facility.  During  the  first  stage,  compulsory 
education  will  be  extended  for  2  months.  During 
the second stage, it will be extended for 4 months. 
The last stage will see it extended by 8 months by 
June  2026.  The  lowering  of  the  compulsory 
schooling  age  will  be  accompanied  by  subsidies 
for 
Prompt 
implementation of ECEC reform, together with the 
dedicated ESF+ funds, could enhance ECEC access 
remain 
and  affordability.  However,  efforts 
fragmented  and  a  more  integrated  approach 
would  be  necessary  from  0-6  years,  focusing  on 
quality  and  educational  methods  at  all  stages  of 
ECEC.  The  necessary  national  strategy  for  ECEC 
and  its  accompanying  action  plan  are  included  in 
the  Cyprus’  national  recovery  and  resilience  plan 
and  are  expected  to  be  concluded  in  2024.  The 

disadvantaged 

families. 

Commission  supports  Cyprus  on  this  reform 
through  the  EU  Technical  Support  Instrument 
(European  Commission,  2021).  This  gives  the 
authorities 
introduce  comprehensive 
solutions  for  quality,  affordable  and  accessible 
ECEC for all. 

time 

to 

4.  School education 
A new system of centralised semester exams 
will be put into practice from the 2022/2023 
school  year  onwards.  The  new  centralised 
exams will be extended to all levels of lower and 
upper  secondary  education,  including  VET.  For 
twelfth-graders  (18  years  old)  ,  the  exams  give 
certificate 
school 
access 
(Apolytirion).  Monitoring  and  analysis  of  the 
results will support the quality of teaching and the 
improvement  of  learning  outcomes  (Ministry  of 
Education).  For  this,  an  evaluation  mechanism  to 
analyse  exam  results  is  necessary  (Christoforidou 
and  Kyriakides,  2021)  and  has  been  put  in  place. 
Nevertheless,  teachers’  experience  in  using  such 
instruments  for  formative  assessment  is  lacking 
and dedicated training is needed. 

leaving 

the 

to 

Figure 4: Pupils in ECE from age 3 to the starting age for compulsory primary education, 
2019 and 2020 (%) 
100

95

90

85

%

80

75

70

65

60

Source: Eurostat (UOE) [eduic_uoe_enra21]. 

2020

EU-level target

2022 Education and Training Monitor - Country analysis 

November 2022 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Most  candidate  teachers  failed  the  exam 
they  needed  to  pass  to  be  appointed.  In 
Cyprus,  teaching  graduates  need  to  pass  an 
additional  exam  to  be  appointed.  These  exams 
took  place  in  November  2021  and  resulted  in  a 
high failure rate. The success rate for pre-primary 
teachers  was  the  highest,  with  only  42.42%  of 
candidates  scoring  above  the  pass  mark  (10  out 
of 20). 

For  primary  education  the  success  rate  was 
even  lower:  only  1  out  of  5  candidates 
scored  above  the  pass  mark.  Candidate 
secondary teachers’ success rate varied according 
to subject. For example, candidate maths teachers’ 
scores  were  particularly  low,  while  9  out  of  10 
biology  teachers  scored  above  the  pass  mark.  To 
support  already  employed  teachers’  professional 
development,  activities  are  being  organised 
dedicated  to  teacher  training  as  part  of  each 
school’s improvement plan 2. 

(43.7%  vs  22.46%  EU  average). 

Pupils in the first grade of primary education 
were  tested  on  their  understanding  of,  and 
their  ability  to  produce  written  texts  in, 
Greek. PISA 2018 revealed that the proportion of 
low  achievers  in  reading  was  particularly  high  in 
Cyprus 
In 
addition,  25.7%  of  pupils  are  low  achievers  in  all 
three subjects tested (reading, science and maths), 
compared to the EU 13% average. The aim of the 
programme is to observe and analyse pupils’ basic 
skills  in  the  first  year  of  primary  education  in 
order to adapt teaching methods accordingly. The 
programme  was  developed  by  the  directorate  of 
primary  education  of  the  Ministry  of  Education 
and  the  Centre  for  Educational  Research  and 
Evaluation  (CERE)  of  the  Cyprus  Pedagogical 
Institute  (CPI).  However,  the  analysis  has  not  yet 
finished. 

Multilingualism  is  also  being  promoted  in 
Cypriot schools as part of the creation of the 
European Education Area. In 2020, Cyprus was 
among the EU countries with the lowest proportion 

2  

In  addition  to  any  other  kind  of  training  teachers  take 
part in. 

CYPRUS 

7 

of upper secondary students learning two or more 
foreign  languages  (38%  vs  49%  EU  average). 
During  the  2021/2022  school  year,  besides 
English,  taught  in  all  Cypriot  schools,  compulsory 
French  lessons  started,  in  the  11th  grade  of  six 
upper  secondary  schools  and  the  10th  and  11th 
grades (16 to 17 years old) of four technical and 
vocational  schools.  From  the  2022/2023  school 
year,  compulsory  teaching  of  French  is  expanded 
to  all  grades  of  lower  and  upper  secondary 
education.  In  parallel,  since  September  2021,  a 
free  pilot  certification  programme  in  French  is 
being  offered  to  students  in  public  schools 3.  A 
second  pilot  is  already  running  in  25  upper 
secondary  schools 
the  certification  of 
for 
competence in English4. 

ICT 

level,  where 

The  use  of  information  and  communication 
technology (ICT) in education is on the rise in 
Cyprus.  This  is  the  most  the  case  at  lower 
secondary 
is  a  compulsory 
subject, with one of the highest number of annual 
hours  (135)  allocated  to  it  in  the  EU  (European 
Commission,  2020).  The  various  measures  put  in 
place in this area during the COVID-19 lockdowns 
improved  matters.  The  RRF  and  the  ESF+  also 
support Cyprus in this area. The country has many 
16-19-year-olds with basic or above basic overall 
digital  skills:  82%  compared  to  69%  EU  average 
(2021). 

Education for environmental sustainability is 
a  key  aspect  of  Cypriot  education. 
Environmental education is an integral part of the 
new  primary  and  secondary  curricula.  The  aim  is 
to  create  a  long-lasting  awareness  in  schools  of 
the  need  to  address  global  warming,  climate 
change,  energy  and  urban  development  (Ministry 
of Education). Schools can also join the network of 
environmental  education  centres.  One-off  actions 
are  also  being  organised,  such  as  seminars  on 
specific  topics,  participation  in  EU  projects5  or 
campaigns. 
environmental 

awareness-raising 

3  

4  
5  

DELF  scolaire,  A1,  A2,  B1  of  the  Common  European 
Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). 

Levels B1 and B2 of the CEFR. 

Example: Schools as Living Labs (SALL). 

2022 Education and Training Monitor - Country analysis 

November 2022 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                
                                                
Education  for  environmental  sustainability  is  part 
of professional development courses for teachers 
at all levels. Cyprus is at the process to revise its 
national  strategy  for  education  for  sustainable 
development  under  the  framework  of  education 
for the environment, sustainable development and 
green transition 2030. 

Schools’  energy  efficiency  will  be  improved 
under  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility 
(RRF)  and  Horizon  2020.  At  least  405  public 
school  buildings,  representing  55%  of  Cypriot 
schools,  will  be  upgraded  under  the  RRF  energy 
efficiency  programmes.  The  investment  concerns 
the  installation  of  photovoltaic  systems  in  school 
buildings  (Ministry  of  Energy,  Commerce  and 
Industry).  Photovoltaic  panels  have  already  been 
installed 
(European 
in  114  public  schools 
Commission,  2020).  As  a  result,  over  70%  of 
Cypriot  schools  will  use  renewable  energies.  The 
aim  is  to  achieve  a  reduction  of  at  least  30%  in 
consumption.  From  an  educational 
energy 
raise  pupils’ 
perspective, 
also 
is 
environmental 
developing 
efficiency 
approaches  in  25  public  schools  through  Horizon 
2020.  The  buildings  will  be  transformed  into 
almost  zero  energy  consumption  buildings  and 
long-standing heating, air conditioning and lighting 
problems  will  be  addressed.  The  project  aims  to 
activate  EUR  7.5  million  in  public  and  private 
investments  and  develop  a  long-term  energy 
renovation strategy for all public school buildings. 
In  parallel,  a  framework  for  energy  upgrades  will 
be  established  based  on  environmental,  energy 
and socio-economic criteria. 

awareness.  Cyprus 

the  projects  will 

innovative 

energy 

5.  Vocational education 
and training and 
adult learning 

VET  will  continue  to  be  supported  by  the 
ESF+  and  the  RRF.  Cyprus’  VET  sector  remains 
relatively  small,  with  only  16.8%  of  upper 
secondary  pupils  enrolled 
in  2021 
(compared  to  48.7%  on  average  in  the  EU). 
Exposure  to  work-based  learning  is  also  fairly 
limited  (38%  in  2021,  compared  to  60.7%  in  the 

in  VET 

CYPRUS 

8 

EU). Recent VET graduates’ employment prospects 
have  improved  though,  reaching  74.6%  in  2021, 
close to the EU average of 76.4%. EU support for 
VET  will  come  from  the  co-funded  Ministry  of 
Education  project  ‘Upgrading  of  Technical  and 
Vocational  Education’.  The  overall  objective  is  to 
further develop and improve VET, by providing the 
necessary  knowledge,  skills  and  competences  to 
address  labour  market  challenges.  The  project’s 
indicative actions and initiatives include:  

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

the development and introduction of new 
study programmes; 

the purchase of technical equipment; 

the organisation of promotional campaigns; 

the provision of high-quality professional 
training for VET teachers; 

the development of a national monitoring 
system to track VET graduates;  

the construction of new technical schools. 

In  addition,  the  Cypriot  national  recovery  and 
resilience  plan  includes  the  construction  of  two 
model 
technical  schools  which  will  provide 
students  and  educators  with  a  modern  well-
equipped  environment  for  learning  increasing  the 
capacity,  quality  and  attractiveness  of  vocational 
education  and  training  (VET)  in  Cyprus.  Since 
2019, three new second-chance VET schools have 
opened.  Efforts  are  also  being  made  to  improve 
curricula  for  evening  secondary  schools  by 
aligning  them  with  those  of  morning  schools. 
the 
During 
compulsory  teaching  of  French  was  introduced  in 
the  1st  and  2nd  grades  (15  and  16  years  old)  of 
four technical and vocational schools.  

the  2021/2022 

school 

year, 

a 

to 

the 

has 

National 
Cyprus 
developed 
Qualifications  Framework 
(NQF)  for  all 
qualification  levels.  The  NQF  has  been  cross-
European  Qualification 
referenced 
Framework  (EQF)  and  it  is  intended  to  keep  it  up 
to  date  according  to  European  developments.  A 
distinct  part  of  the  NQF  is  the  System  of 
Vocational  Qualifications  (SVQ),  developed  by  the 
Human  Resource  Development  Authority  of 
Cyprus.  It  is  dedicated  to  the  recognition  of 
vocational skills based on a series of standards of 

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vocational  qualifications  created  for  specific 
professional sectors.  

A  new  Lifelong  Learning  Strategy  was 
adopted  for  the  period  2021-2027.  The 
Ministry  of  Education’s  intention  in  adopting  the 
strategy  is  to  increase  the  participation  of  adults 
in  lifelong  learning  by  improving  the  quality  of 
for 
adult  education,  establishing 
participation  and  eliminating  barriers,  improving 
outreach 
developing 
programmes  for  non-job-related  learning.  The 
accompanying  actions include: 

awareness,  and 

incentives 

and 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

the development by 2022 of a framework 
for the adult education sector, including 
explanations of relevant concepts, functions, 
processes and quality assurance criteria for 
programmes and trainers; 

the continuous supervision of the strategy to 
ensure its relevance and usefulness; 

the promotion of mechanisms for the 
validation and recognition of learning 
outcomes;  

a comprehensive segmentation and needs 
analysis, to be conducted every 3 years; 

guidelines on upskilling and reskilling 
pathways; 

programmes for developing basic and digital 
skills;  

the promotion of distance learning 
programmes; 

a communication strategy and general 
campaigns to raise awareness of the 
importance of lifelong learning.  

The  strategy  states  that  lifelong  learning  should 
be accessible and relevant to all adults and strike 
a balance between academic subjects, job-related 
development,  socio-emotional  fulfilment,  civic 
education  and  well-being,  while  helping  adults  to 
develop life skills.  

for 

opportunities 

The  Human  Resource  Development  Authority 
provides 
flexible 
knowledge  development  and  upskilling.  This 
will occur based on labour market needs, including 
through  the  introduction  of  individual  learning 
accounts  (ILAs)  and  micro-credentials.  ILAs  will 
give eligible groups of employed and unemployed 
people  credits  to  acquire  new  knowledge  and 

CYPRUS 

9 

skills,  and/or  upgrade  existing  knowledge  and 
skills.  Through  ILAs,  a  wide  range  of  training 
programmes will be offered as part of the Human 
Resource  Development  Authority’s  multi-company 
training  programmes,  particularly  on  the  green 
and  blue  economies  and  for  the  development  of 
digital  skills.  The  introduction  of  ILAs,  part  of 
Cyprus’  ‘Thalia  2021-2027’  programme,  will  be 
co-funded  by  the  ESF+.  Micro-credentials  are 
qualifications that demonstrate learning outcomes 
and  certify  skills  acquired  through  short  learning 
experiences.  They  may  be  particularly  useful  for 
people  who  wish  to  develop  professionally  by 
making use of their knowledge without completing 
a complete tertiary education programme. 

The  adoption  of  the  ‘E-Skills  Action  Plan 
2021-2025’  will  enable  the  development  of 
digital skills and the continuous upskilling of 
It  falls  within  the 
all  population  groups. 
competence  of  the  Deputy  Ministry  of  Research, 
Innovation  and  Digital  Policy  and  was  financed 
through the RRF. The action plan includes: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

a platform comprising a self-assessment tool 
and a directory of personalised suggestions 
for upskilling classes;  

programmes for professionals in the public 
sector;  

upskilling/reskilling opportunities for the 
workforce in general;  

investments in equipment and connectivity;  

the development of a communication 
strategy to raise awareness and promote 
lifelong learning and a digital culture. 

Box  2:  ESF+  project:  Upgrading  of  Technical 
and Vocational Education and Training  

is  being 

implemented  by 

the 
This  project 
Directorate of Secondary Technical and Vocational 
Education  and  Training  (STVET)  of  the  Ministry  of 
Education,  Culture,  Sports  and  Youth  during  the 
European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds  (ESIF) 

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developing 

are  mainly 

2014-2020  programming  period.  The  project  will 
contribute  to  an  attractive,  flexible  and  high-
quality  system  of 
technical  and  vocational 
education and training. For the project, the Cypriot 
new 
authorities 
programmes,  new  secondary 
technical  and 
vocational  education  and  training  specialities  and 
new  curricula,  and  offering  career  guidance 
services  and  in-service  training  for  students  and 
trainees.  The  project  is  expected  to  increase  the 
rate  of  participation  in  secondary  technical  and 
vocational  education  and  training,  increase  the 
number  of 
secondary 
education  and  post-secondary  education  and  to 
increase  the  employment  rate  of  secondary 
technical  and  vocational  education  and  training 
graduates. 

completing 

students 

Public budget: EUR 15.9 million. 

Source: 
https://mdet.moec.gov.cy/index.php/el/erga/programmatiki-
2014-2020/17-2014-2020/116-anaptyxi-mtee  

6. Higher education 
Cyprus’ 
tertiary  educational  attainment 
(58.3%  in  2021  vs  45%  EU-level  target)  is 
one  of  the  highest  in  the  EU,  but  the  labour 
market  relevance  of  education  needs  to  be 
increased. There is also a significant gender gap, 
with  male  tertiary  educational  attainment  around 
16  pps  lower  than  female.  There  is  also  a  wide 
gap  of  31.9  pps  between  people  born  in  and 
interaction  between 
outside  Cyprus.  So  far, 
academia  and  the  business  sector  has  been 
limited  and  graduates’  pathways  after  leaving 
higher education have not been analysed. In order 
to  better  link  higher  education  to  labour  market 
needs  and  improve  comparability  with  other  EU 
countries’  labour  markets,  the  department  of 
the  Ministry  of 
higher  education 
(DHE)  of 
is  developing  a 
Education,  Sport  and  Youth 
graduate  tracking  mechanism  with  RRF  funding. 
To  this  end,  an  employers’  skills  survey  is  being 
designed.  

The number of STEM graduates falls short of 
the  labour  market  demand.  There  were  13.1% 
STEM  graduates  among  all  higher  education 

CYPRUS 

10 

engineering,  manufacturing 

graduates  in  2020,  the  second  lowest  proportion 
in the EU (EU average 24.9%). In Cyprus, the most 
popular  study  areas  are  education,  business, 
administration and law. This is in sharp contrast to 
the  European  Employment  Services’  forecasts  for 
the best employment prospects for 2021 for jobs 
requiring  a  high  level  of  education.  At  the  top  of 
the EURES lists are technical services, consultants 
and  programmers,  ICT  specialists,  medical  staff 
and  engineers.  In  2020,  of  a  total  of  10  403 
tertiary  education  graduates,  only  7.7%  had 
and 
studied 
construction,  2.7%  ICT  and  another  2.7%  natural 
sciences,  maths  and  statistics.  There  were  4.6%, 
female  STEM  graduates  among  all  graduates  in 
2020, almost half the EU average of 8.1%. This is 
a  drop  of  2.6  pps  since  2015,  one  of  the  highest 
drops in the EU  during this  period. The proportion 
of total STEM graduates out of total graduates in 
Cyprus  dropped  from  2015  to  2020  by  4.3  pps. 
Despite  this  very  low  number  of  STEM  graduates 
overall,  one  out  of  three  STEM  graduates  is  a 
woman  (34.8%  in  2020),  a  good  score  compared 
to  the  EU  average  of  32.5%.  The  Ministry  of 
Education  has 
introduced  STEM  programmes 
across  primary  and  secondary  education  in  order 
to encourage the participation of students in STEM 
programmes. This initiative aims at increasing the 
number  of  students  in  STEM  programmes  in  the 
country’s higher education institutions. 

The  Ministry  of  Education  is  improving  the 
internationalisation  of  higher  education 
institutions.  The  aim  is  to  make  Cyprus  an 
international  education  and  research  hub.  The 
department of higher education of the Ministry of 
Education  is  in  the  process  to  promote  higher 
education and attract students to study in Cyprus 
for  example  through  participation  in  international 
fairs. Educational agreements and memoranda of 
understanding 
for 
internationalisation.    Agreements6  on  the  mutual 
academic 
recognition  of  higher  education 
qualifications  and  MoUs7  have  been  concluded 

support 

(MoUs) 

efforts 

6  

7  

With  Germany,  Italy,  Romania,  Russia,  China,  Armenia 
and Jordan. 

With China, Kuwait, UAE, Japan, Oman, Iran and Qatar. 

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CYPRUS 

11 

EACEA, Eurydice equity report 
https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-
policies/eurydice/sites/default/files/towards_equity_and
_inclusion_in_he_full_report_5.pdf.  

European Commission, EURES, Labour market 
information: Cyprus, 
https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/living-and-
working/labour-market-information/labour-market-
information-cyprus_en.  

European Commission (2021), Education and Training 
Monitor — Volume II. Cyprus. 

European Commission (2022), Press release, 8 July 
2022, EU Cohesion Policy: more than €1 billion for 
Cyprus for economic and social development and a fair 
green transition in 2021-2027. 

Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Minister’s 
press office, 11 March 2021, 
https://meci.gov.cy/en/useful-information/minister-
press-office/165/?ctype=ar.  

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, 
Educational materials, Environmental 
education/Education for environmental sustainability, 
http://www.schools.ac.cy/klimakio/    - 
https://peeaad.schools.ac.cy/index.php/el/.  

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, 
Semestrial assessment, 
http://www.moec.gov.cy/axiologisi_tetraminon/axiologisi-
tetraminon.html#potepoious.  

Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Minister’s 
press office, Useful information, 13 March 2021. 

OECD 2021, Net childcare costs in EU countries, Impact 
on family incomes and work incentives, 2019. 

YUFE, Young Universities for the Future of Europe 
https://yufe.eu/who-we-are/.  

with  a  number  of  countries.  In  addition,  three 
higher  education  institutions,  the  University  of 
Cyprus8, the Cyprus University of Technology 9 and 
the  Frederick  University10  have  succeeded  in 
participating  in  European  Universities  Alliances.  A 
national  working  group  was  formed  within  the 
Ministry of Education in order to make the most of 
new  opportunities  afforded  by  European  higher 
education  initiatives.  The  main  challenges  to  be  
addressed are the joint European degree label and 
the institutionalised EU cooperation instruments to 
explore the feasibility of European legal status for 
alliances of higher education institutions. 

7. References 

Christoforidou, M., and Kyriakides, L. (2021), ‘Developing 
teacher assessment skills: The impact of the dynamic 
approach to teacher professional development’, Studies 
in Educational Evaluation, 70, 101051, 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2021.101051.  

Cronbach, L. J. (3rd Ed) (1990), Essentials of 
Psychological Testing, New York: Harper & Row. 

Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, Centre for Educational 
Research and Evaluation (CERE) 
https://enimerosi.moec.gov.cy/archeia/1/ypp13780a.  

Donlevy, V., Day, L., Andriescu, M., Downes, P., ECORYS, 
European Commission 2019, Assessment of the 
implementation of the 2011 Council Recommendation 
on policies to reduce early school leaving, doi 
10.2766/599017. 

8  

9  

10  

YEFE/YUFE  2030  ‘Young  Universities  for  the  Future  of 
Europe’. 

European University of Technology – EUt+" Alliance. 

EUCONEXUS  Plus  ‘European  University  for  Smart  Urban 
Coastal Sustainability’. 

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CYPRUS 

12 

Annex I: Key indicators sources 

Indicator 

Source 

Participation in early childhood education  

Eurostat (UOE), educ_uoe_enra21 

Low achieving eighth-graders in digital skills 

Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science 

IEA, ICILS  

OECD (PISA) 

Early leavers from education and training 

Main data: Eurostat (LFS), edat_lfse_14 

Data by country of birth: Eurostat (LFS),edat_lfse_02 

Exposure of VET graduates to work based learning 

Eurostat (LFS),edat_lfs_9919 

Tertiary educational attainment 

Participation of adults in learning 

Equity indicator 

Main data: Eurostat (LFS),edat_lfse_03 

Data by country of birth: Eurostat (LFS),edat_lfse_9912 

Data for this EU-level target is not available. Data collection starts in 2022. 
Source: EU LFS. 

European Commission (Joint Research Centre) calculations based on OECD’s 
PISA 2018 data 

Upper secondary level attainment 

Eurostat (LFS),edat_lfse_03 

Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP 

Eurostat (COFOG), gov_10a_exp  

Public expenditure on education as a share of the total general government 
expenditure 

Eurostat (COFOG), gov_10a_exp  

Annex II: Structure of the education system 

Source: European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2022. The Structure of the European Education Systems 2022/2023: Schematic Diagrams. 
Eurydice Facts and Figures. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. 

Please email any comments or questions to: 
EAC-UNITE-A2@ec.europa.eu 

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