Education and Training Monitor 2024

1. Learning for sustainability

Cyprus is the only EU country where learning for sustainability is a compulsory subject in primary education. The country has had a national strategic framework¹ for formal and non-formal sustainability education since 2008. Furthermore, there is a dedicated unit within the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth (MESY) since 2018, which is responsible for integrating the national strategic framework and, along with the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, guiding schools in implementing sustainability education (MESY, 2012, 2022). Sustainability education is an integral part of the revised pre-primary, primary and secondary curricula. Learning for sustainability (LfS) is embedded in the curricula in primary education as ‘life education’ in grades 1 – 4 and as ‘education for sustainable development’ in grades 5 and 6 (Eurydice, 2024). One of the learning objectives is that students should be able to approach the issues of sustainable development holistically and in an interdisciplinary manner, to understand and critically analyse their parameters (Eurydice, 2024). A certification framework for sustainable schools accompanied by incentive schemes is under preparation.

Despite this strong policy focus, Cypriot students score below their European peers on sustainability knowledge. Cyprus is one of the few countries in the EU² that set learning outcomes for learning for sustainability. The outcomes go beyond individual responsibility for sustainable development (Eurydice, 2024). However, Cypriot students’ scores in the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2022 on knowledge of sustainable development are the second lowest among the 17 participating EU countries, 452.7 vs EU (17) 506.7. There is also a wide gender gap of 29.3 percentage points (pps.) in favour of girls³. One reason for the low scores might be that students focus less on sustainability subjects as they are not exam subjects.

Higher education institutions run various programmes in learning for sustainability. There are bachelor’s, postgraduate programmes, Master’s degrees and also PhDs in environmental and sustainability related studies. There is no national-level policy on the content of or pedagogical approaches to teaching sustainability in higher education.

The regulations governing continuing professional development for teachers cover sustainability education.

The challenges in implementing learning for sustainability are complex. One of the main challenges is in setting up monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for each policy choice and programmes implemented in schools (Zachariou, 2019). This reflects a typical weakness of Cyprus’ education system, which is monitoring and evaluation. In addition, whole-school approaches and school engagement for sustainability need time to be rolled out in full and to yield results. There is also the need for more teacher support and training in the use of digital education in the learning process for sustainability and the green transition. A relevant reform is underway under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Cyprus has identified the lack of professional guidance for students on the circular economy and the green transition as a barrier to further expansion of learning for sustainability.

2. Early childhood education and care (ECEC)

Cyprus continues to make concerted efforts to extend compulsory preschool education under the national recovery and resilience plan and to increase the participation rate. Between 2021 and 2022, participation in early childhood education and care above the age of 3 dropped further⁸ by 1.4 pps to 84.4%, which is below the EU-level target of 96% and the EU average of 93.1%. More children are in ECEC from the age of 4 (87.7%) as 4 years and 8 months is currently the age that children start compulsory education. Implementation of the ambitious reform to gradually extend compulsory pre-primary education from the age of 4⁹, supported by the RRF, started from the 2024/2025 school year and will be fully completed by 2031. The related law was adopted by the national Parliament in March 2024. Consistent measures are planned to increase the affordability and quality in ECEC, co-financed by the ESF+ and the RRF. The Technical Support Instrument (TSI) supported the development of a quality framework and a national strategy for ECEC (European Commission, 2023). In particular, the expansion of capacities planned under the RRF is a key investment, as the lack of capacity is the main barrier to planning the reform.

The share of children under the age of 3 enrolled in ECEC has increased remarkably in recent years. In 2023, 37% of Cypriot children aged 0-2 attended ECEC¹⁰, a 12.6pps increase since 2022. This almost reaches the EU average of 37.4% but is still below the ambitious national Barcelona target of 40.6%¹¹ for 2030.

The adoption of a new national strategy on enhancing ECEC is underway. In Cyprus, there is a need to shift the focus of early childhood education and care to a child-centred approach (Eurochild, 2024). By the end of the year, Cyprus will adopt its national strategy on enhancing early childhood education and care covering children from birth to the start of compulsory education, with a focus on accessibility and quality. The plan is for the Council of Ministers to adopt an accompanying action plan, based on the recommendations of an EU TSI project (European Commission, 2022).

3. School education

Cyprus faces structural difficulties in keeping young people in formal education. It still has a high share of students leaving school early (European Commission, 2024b). In 2023, the share of young people (18-24 years-old) leaving education and training early rose compared to the previous year by 2.3 pps to 10.4%¹² (EU average: 9.5%), despite national efforts and support from EU funds (European Commission, 2023). The gap between native and non-EU born students is the widest in the EU, at -18.6pps in 2023. The MESY works with a group of national stakeholders to identify solutions for retaining and engaging students at risk of school dropout.

Over half of Cypriot students lack the minimum level of proficiency in basic skills and very few have advanced basic skills. In the 2022 OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), 60.6% of 15-year-olds underperformed in reading, 53.2% in mathematics and 51.8% in science (OECD, 2023). Cyprus recorded the highest increase in underachievement since 2018, and one of the highest in the EU (EU averages: 26.2% in reading, 29.5% in maths, 24.2% in science). This reflects the results of the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, where Cypriot students also performed below the EU average. At the same time, the share of top performing students is well below the EU average in all three fields. Only 1.4% of young Cypriots demonstrated advanced skills in reading (EU: 6.5%), 3.9% in mathematics (EU: 7.9%), and 2% in sciences (EU: 6.9%). Improving the education outcomes of young people is part of the essential parameters to help students build the skills needed for the twin transitions and for competitiveness.

The sharp decline in the PISA results over the last decade reflects challenges in both the quality and equity of the education and training system. The overall rate of low performing students increased in all three tested subjects compared to the previous PISA survey in 2018. This increase was particularly strong among students in the top socio-economic quartile (10.6 pps vs 2.2 pps at EU level). The share of low-performing students in this group (32.7%) is three times higher than the EU average (10.9%). Also, two thirds of students in the lowest socio-economic quartile did not reach a minimum proficiency level in mathematics (69.8% vs EU: 48.0%). Their underachievement rate also increased sharply by 17.6 pps between 2018 and 2022. For both advantaged and disadvantaged students, the decline in performance was the most pronounced in the EU over this period. More worryingly, Cyprus recorded the highest severe underachievement rate with over 40.3% of students underachieving simultaneously in all three tested subjects.

Structural challenges in the education system remain. Some challenges remain unaddressed (European Commission, 2024a). For example, schools have little autonomy (which is generally associated with better outcomes), competence-based teaching methods need further development and implementation together with a culture of evaluation. As raised by experts, setting up an early warning system and developing paths to school success could help low-achieving students. Empowering teachers and improving their continuous professional development are necessary to raise quality because a dynamic approach to teacher and school improvement has an effect on student learning outcomes (Kyriakides et al., 2020). Challenges linked to school climate and discipline may also affect performance. More than 1 in 4 students (24.0%) in Cyprus reported being bullied at least a few times a month. Exposure to frequent bullying is associated with a drop of 21 score points¹³ in mathematics performance, which is one of the highest values in the EU.

Figure 1: Underachievement rates by field, PISA 2012, 2018 and 2022 (%)

Cyprus recorded the most dramatic increase in underachievement in the EU since 2012, despite ongoing reforms. Results have worsened everywhere in the EU. The extensive periods of school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in learning losses and lower PISA results in all European countries. However, in Cyprus, compared to 2012, underachievement in PISA worsened sharply in all three subjects tested, even though Cyprus has been implementing a comprehensive education and training reform package over the last decade. The measures include, for example, revising curricula¹⁴, reforming student assessments emphasising a swift but formative assessment, developing a governance framework to tackle student disengagement and early school leaving, and bringing in all-day schooling in lower secondary education. On the latter, the European Commission supports the Cyprus authorities with an operational framework for the implementation and monitoring of the all-day schooling reform via the EU Technical Support Instrument. More evidence-based policy choices may be necessary to better link implementation with learning outcomes (Kyriakides et al., 2018). A noteworthy effort is Cyprus’ plan to gradually extend compulsory pre-primary education from the age of 4, under a law adopted in March 2024 (MESY, 2024), and measures supported by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (European Commission, 2023).

4. Vocational education and training

Participation in VET remains low, despite coordinated measures. Cyprus has a relatively small VET sector, as in 2022 only 17.9%¹⁵ of pupils in medium-level education attended programmes with a vocational focus (EU average 52.4%). Only 4 out of 10 (39.2%¹⁶ in 2023) recent graduates aged 20-34 had experienced work-based learning during their VET (EU: 64.5%). The employment rate of recent VET graduates in Cyprus is below the EU average (73.9% in 2023 vs 81%)¹⁷. The annual action plan for 2023-2024 of the MESY (MESY, 2023) focused on enhancing and upgrading VET by aligning training programmes with job market needs.

Several projects and initiatives are being implemented to equip learners with essential labour-market-relevant knowledge and skills. The project ‘Further development of technical and vocational education and training’ (Cedefop and ReferNet, 2023b) implemented by the MESY is 60% co-financed by the ESF+ for 2021-27 with a budget of EUR 38 million. The overarching aim of the project is to advance and refine VET. Specific measures include updating curricula, equipping schools with essential resources, and keeping teachers abreast of recent technological developments. In addition, there are efforts to forecast job market demand and supply in the Cyprus economy for the coming years by the Human Resource Development Authority. A related study (carried out by Cedefop and ReferNet, 2023c) provides useful results for policymakers and forecasts up to 2032. (Charilaou & Evangelou, 2024).

Evaluating the quality of programmes and infrastructure applied in VET. To strengthen the quality of training in higher VET public schools, in 2023 all post-secondary VET institutes underwent an external evaluation focusing on the quality of the infrastructure and programmes. Recommendations include increasing the involvement of employer representatives in the design of VET curricula to reduce skill mismatches and to better link post-secondary vocational and training institutes (MIEEK) with the job market (Dimosthenous et al., 2023).

The EU Recovery and Resilience Facility supports VET in Cyprus. An investment under Cyprus’ plan (RRP) to address skills mismatches between education and the job market, started in October 2023, with measures planned to run until 2026. They include work to update 200 curricula, upgrade equipment in 20 labs, train a minimum of 285 educators (out of a total of 700) and develop new study programmes (online or hybrid). The construction of a VET school also started in 2022, with a budget of EUR 28.8 million, funded by the RRF.

5. Higher education

Cyprus has one of the highest shares of tertiary educational attainment in the EU. At 61.6%¹⁸ in 2023 (EU average 43.1%), Cyprus is above the EU target for 2030 (45%) and increasing steadily. The country has achieved a 10.2 pps increase over the last decade. The employment rate of recent tertiary graduates ISCED 5-8 is close to the EU average (82.7%¹⁹ vs 87.7% in 2023), up significantly by 17.8 pps over the past decade. Women outperform men in the share of tertiary educational attainment (69.2%²⁰ vs 53%), which is also well above the EU average of 48.8%. Skills and labour shortages persist, however, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and in the green and digital transitions.

For several years, Cyprus has had the lowest share of STEM graduates over total graduates in the EU. This share is 11.2%²¹ vs the EU average of 25.4%. The ratio of graduates in tertiary education in STEM fields including manufacturing and construction per 1 000 of population aged 20-29 is 10.5%²², which is also low and half the EU average of 21.9. The picture is even less rosy when looking at STEM graduates by sex as women account for only a 3.7% share of graduates in STEM subjects (EU average: 8.3%). Similarly, the share of R&D researchers in the total active population is below 0.5% in four countries including Cyprus²³. By contrast, the leading EU countries have a share of between 1.6% and 1.9% (Eurofound, 2024).

Cyprus has achieved the 2030 EU-level target for mobile graduates. In 2022, the outwards learning mobility rate (students moving abroad to study) was 28.6% (vs EU: 10.9% and the EU-level target of 23%)²⁴. Of this share, 28% went abroad for their degree and 0.6% went abroad for credit mobility. All credit-mobile graduates (students from Cyprus studying abroad using credits) went abroad under EU programmes (EU: 54.6%). By contrast, the inward degree mobility rate (students from abroad moving to Cyprus to study) in 2022 was slightly above the EU average (9% vs 8.7%)²⁵.

Figure 2: Outward learning mobility rate in higher education, 2022 (%)

A significant reform of Greece’s tertiary education will also affect Cyprus. A 2024 law allows non-state universities to be set up in Greece. Approximately 18 000 Greek students currently studying in Cypriot universities may now have alternatives in their home country. Conversely, Greece attracts Cypriot students and offers them a favourable entry system. Cypriot private universities have already expressed their intention to open branches in Greece based on the new law (e.g. the University of Nicosia). In turn, certain departments, programmes and courses run by Greek universities will be offered in Cyprus as the fruit of collaboration between both the Cypriot and the Greek Ministers of Education (Paideia News, 2024b).

Cyprus aims to upgrade higher education and enhance internationalisation. The MESY has started reflections on how to modernise higher education, promote internationalisation and links with the labour market. Initial achievements to this end include the announcement of the National Graduates’ Tracking Survey and the launch of a comprehensive dialogue with stakeholders (MESY, 2024), including representatives from higher education institutions, the labour market and related ministries. The dialogue is structured around four pillars: internationalisation, legislative adjustments, labour market integration, and increased scholarships for international students (MESY, 2024). One of the aims is also to attract students from abroad.

6. Adult learning

Participation in adult learning remains low. In 2022, 28.3% of adults participated in education and training in Cyprus, lower than the EU average of 39.5%. Unlike in the EU overall, participation has fallen considerably (by 16 points, the sharpest fall) since 2016 (last measured period). People with higher levels of education have a much higher rate of participation in learning than people with lower levels of education (35.5% vs 10.9%). In Cyprus, fewer women participate in education and training than men (20.4% vs 36.7%), unlike in most other Member States. Young adults (aged 25 to 34) are substantially more likely to participate in training than older adults (aged 55 to 64) (43.3% vs 10.3%). People who are not in the job market also participate much less in learning than the working population (30.2% v 16.8%). The rate is relatively similar across cities, towns, and rural areas in Cyprus (28% vs 27.9% vs 29%)²⁶.

The low rate of adult learning undermines Cyprus’s potential to improve its economic competitiveness. This comes along with a decline in student performance in basic skills (OECD, 2023) and persisting skills mismatches. To remedy these issues, Cyprus developed a European Year of Skills action plan in 2023 with several initiatives, also financed under the RRF and ESF+. The action plan will seek to meet the ambitious national target of at least 61% of adults participating in training every year by 2030 (EU target ≥ 47% (2025)).

Cyprus is also taking measures partly supported by EU funds to integrate young people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) into the labour market. It offers training programmes financed under the ESF+ to achieve this aim. The training centre for employment and entrepreneurship for vulnerable groups offers tailored training and support services, helping people integrate into the workforce and develop entrepreneurial skills. In addition, the Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus (HRDA) launched in 2024 a pilot project on individual learning accounts (ILAs). Participants – people with secondary education and long-term unemployed – will receive an annual fixed amount to participate in training programmes of their choice.

The Recovery and Resilience Facility supports training programmes focusing on emerging sectors. Cyprus’ plan (RRP)²⁷ focuses training on the skills for the green and blue economy. Additionally, the ‘Development of a National Graduate Tracking Mechanism, and Design and Implementation of an Employers’ Skills Survey’ project aims to collect national data on graduates’ pathways after they have left higher education as well as data on the labour market’s current and future needs in terms of knowledge and skills. This project is part of a broader RRP measure entitled ‘Addressing the Skills Mismatch between Education and the Labour Market’.