All day schools in every district from next year

All-day schools in secondary education are to be extended to all districts for the academic year 2023-204, the cabinet decided on Wednesday.

Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou said the decision was taken following recommendations tabled by his ministry.

All-day schools have been operating on a pilot basis over the past year in Nicosia and Limassol but has not yet been extended to schools in the other districts.

“This is an innovation, which is included in the governance programme that began last year in the Pancyprian high school on a trial basis,” he said. He said that this year the trial application was also extended to Limassol at Laniteon high school.

“The planning is that from the next school year 2023/24 we will have a full-day high school in every district,” the minister said, citing plans for Larnaca, Paphos and the Famagusta area.

Prodromou said that the proposal combines two goals: one related to boosting Greek language and culture and the other towards STEAM subjects Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

“It is a very interesting approach. It is not about additional lessons, additional material from the morning syllabus. It is about an enrichment of schools through a project-based learning method,” Prodromou said.

It will also include supplementary Greek lessons for students with a migrant background as well as support course for literacy.

Following an evaluation of the all-day programme in each district under a pilot regime after the next academic year, decisions will be taken for further expansion of all-day schools, the minister said.