They will be in constant coordination to determine their actions and actions, without excluding the dynamic reaction to a possible promotion of the draft Regulations for the operation of foreign language undergraduate programs in Public Universities in the Plenary Session of the Parliament, OELMEK, OLTEK, the Confederation of Secondary Education Parents and PSEM state, in a joint announcement.
According to the announcement, a joint meeting of OELMEK, OLTEK, the Confederation of Secondary Education Parents and PSEM was held on Monday, February 3, 2025, on the issue of the draft Regulations submitted by the Ministry of Education and Culture to the House of Representatives for the operation of foreign language undergraduate programs at Public Universities.
The Organizations discussed all the developments surrounding this extremely serious issue for the future of public education and reaffirmed their strong disagreement with the draft Regulations of the Ministry of Education, because this process undermines the operation of public schools, since the Pancyprian Examinations are circumvented as a procedure for accessing Public Universities and procedures are created for the unequal treatment of graduates of public schools in relation to graduates of private schools.
"Our positions are not directed against policies that will open up public higher education in our country towards attracting foreign students, as well as against the effort to internationalize public universities," it is clarified.
Besides, it is noted, "English-language postgraduate programs have existed in Public Universities for years, even if to date there are very few (single-digit number) foreign students studying in them, with the authorities refusing to submit relevant data both to Parliament and to the public debate."
It is clear, however, the four bodies continue in their announcement, "that the goal of this specific draft Regulations of the Ministry of Education and Science is not the internationalization of Universities, which is presented as the main goal, but the creation of a second way of admitting Cypriot students to public Universities, outside the procedures of the Pancyprian Examinations."
It is noted that their opposition focuses on the fact that the proposed Regulations undermine the Pancyprian Entrance Examinations, an institution that has been impeccable and recognized for decades in the public consciousness for Cypriots' access to public universities.
"Essentially, it is being suggested that our Public Universities accept the British GCE Examinations as a parallel system of admission to them. Our Organizations will continue in every way their efforts to defend Public Education, the Pancyprian Examinations and the equal treatment of our graduates. For this reason, they will be in constant coordination, in order to determine their actions and actions, without excluding the dynamic reaction to a possible promotion of the draft Regulations in the Plenary Session of the Parliament", they conclude.
Source: KYPE
