Alpha News

Understaffed Primary Schools: 5,000 Children Without Teachers

Published January 22, 2026, 18:26

The President of POED, Myria Vasiliou, expressed strong concerns about the understaffing of primary schools, stating that approximately 5,000 children across Cyprus were without a substitute teacher today. She accused the Ministry of Education of indifference and inaction, as promises to fill vacancies have not been fulfilled. According to POED data, the number of unfilled substitute positions is increasing daily, with 170 vacancies in Primary Education, 39 in Pre-Primary, and 39 in Special Education today alone. Understaffing leads to the underfunctioning of schools and the need for emergency measures. Ms. Vasiliou criticized the silence of those who had criticized the two-hour strikes of teachers, emphasizing that the current situation undermines the quality of education provided.