The Parliament in Cyprus has approved a new plan for evaluating teachers. The government says this is an important step to update the country's education. The new rules for public schools were passed after long talks. The plan will start to be used soon in schools.
Many people debated this plan for months. It was approved by a vote of 29 to 18. Some changes to the plan also got support. 29 representatives voted for the changes. 17 voted against them. The parliament did not agree that principals should have the final say on teacher evaluations. However, they did agree that principals must talk to an assistant principal first.
President Nikos Christodoulides called the plan a big change. He said it will help teachers grow professionally. The president believes it will improve teaching and help students learn better. The Education Minister, Athena Michaelidou, agreed. She said the Ministry will support teachers and their groups. She also said the Ministry understands the daily work of teachers.
This reform is needed to make schools modern. It is also an investment in the future. People have asked for changes in how schools work and how teachers are evaluated. Supporters think the new system will help teachers develop. They also think it will make evaluations more organised. This should improve all of education.
However, some teacher groups are not happy. The Cyprus Primary Teachers’ Association (POED) has concerns. POED says the plan has problems. They also say teachers did not agree to it. POED worries about unclear parts of the law. They are concerned about the role of principals in evaluations. Despite this, the government sees this as a historic success. They think it can greatly change education in Cyprus.