Primary schools across Cyprus reopened their doors on Monday as the new academic year began, with a total of 52,186 children flooding through the gates of 328 primary schools and 274 nursery schools on Monday morning.

Of those children, 8,919 will be occupying school desks for the first time, while 14,398 are attending nursery schools.

They will be taught by 5,232 primary school teachers and 1,135 nursery school teachers.

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou on Monday encouraged those returning to school to “enjoy” the experience, and to “learn new things and savour every experience”.

“Your teachers, your families, all of us, are by your side, to support you and to take pride in you. School is our shared responsibility. We support the vital work of our educators and the collaboration between school and the family, keeping the child at the centre,” she said.

She then addressed teachers, with whom she has had run-ins in recent years due to overhauls to both the hiring and evaluation system which governs their careers, saying that “any differing approaches to managing issues are part of the constructive dialogue among all stakeholders and must never affect the children”.

“I wish a great start to everyone, and extend a special wish to our first-graders, who … will take their first big step into primary school,” she said.