Organisation of the education system in Cyprus 2009/2010 CY European Commission EURYBASE CYPRUS 1. Political, Social and Economic Background and Trends..........................................................9 1.1. Historical Overview .......................................................................................................9 1.2. Main Executive and Legislative Bodies..........................................................................10 1.2.1. Executive Authority...............................................................................................10 1.2.2. Legislative Authority .............................................................................................11 1.2.3. Local Authorities...................................................................................................11 1.2.4. Ministries and other Bodies involved in Education ..................................................11 1.3. Religions.....................................................................................................................15 1.4. Official and Minority Languages...................................................................................16 1.5. Demographic Situation ...............................................................................................17 1.6. Economic Situation .....................................................................................................18 1.7. Statistics .....................................................................................................................20 1.7.1. Population density................................................................................................20 1.7.2. End of year population by district (urban-rural areas) 1992-2007 (thousands)...........21 1.7.3. De jure population by gender 1974-2007 (thousands).............................................22 1.7.4. Age breakdown of the population (thousands).......................................................23 1.7.5. Birth rate ..............................................................................................................23 1.7.6. Mortality rate........................................................................................................23 1.7.7. Immigration .........................................................................................................24 1.7.8. Vital statistics 1974-2007 .......................................................................................24 1.7.9. Gross domestic product (per capita GDP rate and annual growth rate).....................24 1.7.10. Rates of employment and unemployment (for various subgroups, including men, women and the proportion of young people aged 16-25)................................................25 1.7.11. Literacy rates 1946 – 2001....................................................................................31 2. General Organisation of the Education System and Administration of Education ..................32 2.1. Historical Overview .....................................................................................................32 2.2. Ongoing Debates and Future Developments................................................................35 2.3. Fundamental Principles and Basic Legislation ...............................................................38 2.4. General Structure and Defining Moments in Educational Guidance................................38 2.4.1. Pre-primary education ..........................................................................................39 2.4.2. Primary education.................................................................................................39 2.4.3. Secondary education ............................................................................................40 2.4.4. Higher and tertiary education................................................................................40 2.5. Compulsory Education ................................................................................................42 2.6. General Administration ...............................................................................................42 2.6.1. General Administration at National Level ...............................................................43 2.6.2. General Administration at Regional Level ...............................................................46 2.6.3. General Administration at Local Level ....................................................................46 2.6.4. Educational Institutions, Administration, Management ...........................................46 2.7. Internal and External Consultation ...............................................................................50 2.7.1. Internal Consultation ............................................................................................50 2.7.2. Consultation Involving Players in Society at Large...................................................51 2.8. Methods of Financing Education..................................................................................53 2.8.1. Pre-primary and primary education........................................................................53 2.8.2. Secondary education ............................................................................................53 2.8.3. Tertiary education.................................................................................................54 2.9. Statistics .....................................................................................................................54 2.9.1. Schools, pupils and teachers by level of education 2006/07.....................................55 2.9.2. Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP and total budget 1970-2007 .....................................................................................................................................56 2.9.3. Current and capital public expenditure by level of education 2006 ..........................56 2.9.4. Public expenditure in public institutions and government aid for pupils in public institutions in Cyprus 2006.............................................................................................57 1 EURYBASE CYPRUS 2.9.5. School Boards’ Expenditure and Revenue by Level and Type 2006/07......................58 2.9.6. Public expenditure in private institutions and government aid for pupils in private institutions in Cyprus 2006.............................................................................................59 2.9.7. Government aid for Cypriot students abroad and Cypriot communities abroad 200660 2.9.8. Per capita public expenditure to public institutions by level of education 2006 ........60 3. Pre-primary Education.......................................................................................................61 3.1. Historical Overview .....................................................................................................63 3.2. Ongoing Debates and Future Developments................................................................67 3.3. Specific Legislative Framework ....................................................................................68 3.3.1. Specific Legislative Framework for Kindergartens ...................................................68 3.3.2. Specific Legislative Framework for Day Nurseries....................................................69 3.4. General Objectives ......................................................................................................69 3.4.1. General Objectives for Kindergartens.....................................................................69 3.4.2. General Objectives for Day Nurseries......................................................................70 3.5. Geographical Accessibility ...........................................................................................70 3.6. Admission Requirements and Choice of Institution / Centre ..........................................71 3.6.1. Admission Requirements and Choice of Institution / Centre ....................................71 3.6.2. Admission Requirements and Choice of Institution / Centre in Day Nurseries ...........71 3.7. Financial Support for Pupils’ Families ...........................................................................72 3.7.1. Financial Support for Kindergarten Pupils' Families.................................................72 3.7.2. Financial Support for Families of Day Nursery Pupils ...............................................72 3.8. Age Levels and Grouping of Children ...........................................................................72 3.8.1. Age Levels and Grouping of Children in Kindergartens............................................72 3.8.2. Age Levels and Grouping of Children in Day Nurseries ............................................73 3.9. Organisation of Time...................................................................................................73 3.9.1. Organisation of the Year........................................................................................74 3.9.2. Weekly and Daily Timetable...................................................................................75 3.10. Curriculum, Types of Activity, Number of Hours ..........................................................76 3.10.1. Curriculum, Types of Activity, Number of Hours for Kindergartens .........................76 3.10.2. Curriculum,