Ministry of Education: The number of students / three shows a continuous decrease over time, while the number of teachers increases

The Ministry of Education, commenting on the public intervention of OELMEK on the issue of employment of contract teachers, after stating that it is true that in the education system of Cyprus there are proportionally more contract teachers compared to other EU member states, notes that it is necessary to reflect on the matching of the real needs -as they arise from the number of students / three- and the number of employed teachers.

The "easy" or even "automatic" solution would be, as claimed by the leadership of OELMEK, "The increase of permanent organic positions", refers to an announcement of the Ministry.

It is added that "It is very well known that the employment of contract teachers is due to peculiarities and special arrangements for the employment of teachers in Cyprus and the fact that even when the number of students / three decreases, additional needs arise and therefore a number of new contracts, as a consequence. of the conditions of employment of teachers ".

It is further stated that during the school year 2021-22, despite the slightly lower number of students / three in Secondary Education, there was a need for employment of about 80 additional contract teachers, as a result of the annual reduction of teaching time of existing teachers.

It is added that the number of students / three shows a continuous decrease over time, which between 2007-08 and 2021-22 reached 18,3% in Secondary Education, while at the same time, the number of teachers is constantly increasing.

According to the Ministry of Education, between the school years 2016-17 and 2020-21, for approximately unchanged number of students / three (decrease of 0,2%), there was an increase in the number of teachers (permanent, contracted and indefinite) by 7,5 %.

Finally, he notes that a similar trend is observed in Primary Education.