Cypriot Educational System Research Articles

English Language Policy in Cyprus under the British Empire Period and it is Impact on Current Sustainable Education Policies

In this research, the foreign language education policy of Cyprus, which was under British rule between 1878 and 1960, with a special reference to the English Language and its reflection on the present day were examined. The study on the period in question is based on a qualitative analysis of British archival documents and domestic sources. As the history of Cyprus, it is still possible to see especially traces of the education policy formulated by the British who ruled the island in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the early years, relatively minor attempts at colonialism were made compared to other British colonies, as the British gave the colonies the autonomy to govern their own languages and educational systems. The influence of the colonial power’s language, particularly in the Cypriot education system, started to be noticed after the 1930s when the political agenda changed and the British attitude changed. As a result, during the colonial period of the United Kingdom in Cyprus, the British tried to bring the education of the society, which was obtained as a result of education, to a common point by gathering it in a central structure.

Teachers’ Experiences of Online/Distance Teaching and Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mainstream Classrooms with Vulnerable Students in Cyprus

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school lockdowns in many countries forced teachers to deliver lessons online to ensure that students continued their studies. This shift, which caused major challenges for school systems worldwide, significantly affected the Cypriot education system, which is highly centralised and in which teacher-centred practices are widely used. In many countries, teachers and students were unfamiliar with the new teaching and evaluation methods, and learners in the most marginalised groups were deemed to be at risk of falling behind. For these reasons, an online survey was undertaken in Cyprus from March to September 2020 as part of an international online survey initiated by a university in the Northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. The survey examined teachers’ perspectives on the new online pedagogical practices; the challenges they faced; and the impact of these practices on the learning progress of all students, including two vulnerable groups, i.e., individuals with learning disabilities and immigrant students aged 6–18 years. Key findings suggest that the teachers were unprepared to design inclusive student-centred digital activities and deliver online lessons and that distance teaching may have negatively affected students’ learning experiences, especially in the vulnerable groups.

Image of Physical Education Teachers and Their Class as Seen by Teachers of Other Disciplines

The image of a given professional group is the way they are perceived by members of another group, which translates directly into relations as well as attitudes towards them. How teachers and the discipline they teach are perceived is a significant factor that influences relations and atmosphere in the small school community. In the case of Physical Education (PE) teachers in Cypriot secondary schools, things might be different since they are dressed differently, they spend most of the time in the schoolyard or in the gym, they never carry books or homework, and so on. Various opinions are expressed, from time to time, about themselves and their class by teachers of other disciplines. These opinions vary from negative on one end to positive on the other. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the image of PE teachers and their classes in Cypriot secondary schools, as seen by teachers of other disciplines. For that purpose, 132 secondary school teachers (78 women and 54 men) of various disciplines were randomly selected to participate in this study. Teachers were recruited from secondary schools from all over Cyprus and were interviewed in their school settings during their free time. For the conduct of the interviews, a questionnaire was prepared with open-closed type questions, which consisted of 2 parts: The first part concerned the teacher, and the second concerned the physical education class. The duration of each interview was approximately 30 minutes. In the first part, teachers were asked about their relationships with the PE teacher, how they see him/her as a professional, how easy he/she is in his/her relationship with them, etc., while in the second part, they were asked about the importance of physical education, whether they believed that the class was as important as other disciplines in students’ education and others. The data were analyzed using the method of continuous comparison and analytical induction and showed that three different views prevail about PE teachers and their class: 1) They are colleagues who have no difficulties in their work, are somewhat distant from other colleagues and their class does not have much to offer, 2) They are colleagues who easily develop good relationships with colleagues of other disciplines. However, their contribution to students’ education through their class is not like that of other disciplines, and 3) They are well-intentioned colleagues, always available, easy to work with, who contribute significantly through their class like any other colleague, but with different duties, due to the nature of their class. Teachers of other disciplines are often influenced either by personal experiences of the past, forming a positive or negative image, or by individual cases in their school. Although PE teachers do not have anything to prove at school, since they have to be transferred to a different school every eight years, according to the Cypriot Education System and colleagues of other disciplines do not know them as professionals, many times they have to prove themselves in other colleagues’ eyes through their work, in order to allow them to form positive perceptions of themselves as professionals and the contribution of their class to the overall student education.

Those who control the narrative control the future: The teaching of History in Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot schools

History education in both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot educational systems in Cyprus is dominated by ethnocentric approaches. In the case of the former this is the idea of history education promoting a Hellenocentric narrative which aims to cultivate a Greek national identity, while in the case of the latter the promoted Turkocentric narrative seeks to cultivate a Turkish one. In the Greek Cypriot educational system this narrative tells the story of Cyprus as part of the Greek nation and the hardships that Greek Cypriots have suffered from their enemies and especially the Turks (Perikleous, 2015a). A similar narrative in many aspects exists in the Turkish Cypriot educational system; however in this the roles are reversed (Onurkan-Samani & Tarhan, 2017). In this sense one can argue that the teaching of history in both communities is utilised as a medium not only to create a collective memory but also to antagonise one community to another. These narratives are challenged by Cyprocentric ones in both communities which support the idea of promoting a Cypriot civic identity shared by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. This article discusses aspects of history education in Cyprus during and following the British colonial rule on the island. Despite the fact that the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot educational systems evolved separately, especially after the decolonisation of the island, important similarities can be identified both in terms of their development and in terms of their current state.

Remembering the Past: The Collective Memory and Historigraphies of Cyprus

The aim of this study is to investigate the politics of memory and the transformations of memories of historiographies in the Cyprus Conflict. I focus on the collective memory conceptualization that invades Cyprus Conflict, and I investigate Cyprus history textbooks from Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot education system. In this regard, the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot memories are mostly based on the historiographies, negative memories of between 1958s and 1963s and the heroic partisan struggle strongly clash with negative counter-memories of 1974. The forced remembering of 1974, the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, which is promoted also by politically institutionalized top-down politics of memory, is created also in the popular, bottom-up memories of the today's negotiations. Such memory politics foster past narratives mostly based on historiographies, creates us and them dichotomy narratives. Moreover, it blurs the negotiation and forgiveness paradigm, when it suddenly becomes the certain point of collective memory of past and present.

Cyprus and British Colonialism: A Bowen Family Systems Analysis of Conflict Formation

This article uses family systems theory and Bowen family systems psychotherapy concepts to understand the nature of conflict formation during British colonialism in Cyprus. In examining ingredients of the British colonial model through family systems theory, an argument is made regarding the multigenerational transmission of colonial patterns that aid in the perpetuation of the Cyprus conflict to the present day. The ingredients of the British colonial model discussed include the homeostatic maintenance of the Ottoman colonial structure, a divide and rule policy through triangulation, the use of nationalism and triangulation in the Cypriot education system, political exploitation, and apartheid laws. Explaining how it centers on relationships and circular causality, nonsummativity and homeostasis reveals the useful nature of family systems theories in understanding conflict formation. Also, Bowenian universal forces are examined in terms of the emotional system, individuality and togetherness, and anxiety. These are coupled with six Bowenian concepts in assessing functionality and symptom formation, namely: 1) differentiation of self, 2) triangles, 3) nuclear family emotional process, 4) multigenerational transmission process, 5) emotional cutoff, and 6) societal emotional process.

Successful components of school improvement in culturally diverse schools

ABSTRACTContemporary phenomena, including modernization, globalization, and migration, have altered the sociopolitical and cultural conditions of schooling. Schools are called upon to respond to such change through improvement efforts fostering intercultural education. To this end, this research examines school actors’ perceptions of the successful components of school improvement in culturally diverse schools. For the purposes of this research, we used the Cypriot education system as our case study to carry out observations and interviews with head teachers, teachers, immigrant and native students, and their parents. In identifying the inputs for the improvement of culturally diverse schools, as perceived by school actors, various components emerged, including listening to student voice, socioemotional and culturally responsive teaching, and increased parental involvement. Arguably, these contributing factors bear implications for school-based leadership, building successful professional communities, and enhancing intercultural competence in schools.

Osmanlı Dönemi’nden İngiliz İdaresine Kıbrıs Türk Temel Eğitimi’nin Modernleşmesi ve Toplumsallaşması / From Ottoman Period to English Administration Modernization and Socialization of Cyprus Turkish Basic Education

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>Changes in the primary education programme during the transition period from the agricultural society to the industrial society of the Turkish Cypriots in the Ottoman and British administrations in Cyprus were evaluated in terms of educational programs, number of students and modern agriculture course in this study. Following the Ottoman conquest of island, the educational institutions were also regulated like every other organisation in the island according to the needs. After the British took over the island administration from the Ottoman State, they maintain some of the applications from the old administration as well as replacing some of them according to their own administrative and administrative understandings. During the British administration, the education in the Turkish Cypriot community had switched from the religion intensive curriculum to modern education. This study aimed to reflect the details of new education system during the British administration in the island. In addition, as an example of the socialization of education, the increase in the number of students in education and the situation of female students in this increase have been emphasized in this study. The information obtained by using the first-hand resources of the research period, Blue Book, and education reports, is presented. As a result, the changes made in the Turkish Cypriot Education system have affected the Turkish Cypriot community socially, culturally and politically.</p><p><strong>Öz</strong></p><p>Kıbrıs’ta Osmanlı ve İngiliz idaresinde Kıbrıslı Türklerin tarım toplumundan sanayi toplumuna geçiş sürecinde ilköğretim programında oluşan değişimlerin bu araştırmada eğitim programları ve öğrenci sayısı açısından değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Osmanlı Devleti’nin adayı fethetmesinden sonra adadaki her kurum gibi eğitim teşkilatını da ihtiyaçlara göre düzenlemiştir. İngilizler ada yönetimini Osmanlı Devleti’nden devraldıktan sonra, eski idareden kalan bazı uygulamaları devam ettirirken, bazılarının yerine kendi idari ve yönetim anlayışlarına göre düzenlemişlerdir. İngiliz idaresi sürecinde Kıbrıslı Türklerde eğitim dini ağırlıklı müfredattan modern eğitime geçmiştir. Yapılan araştırmada İngiliz döneminde adada uygulanan yeni eğitim sisteminin detayları ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. Ayrıca çalışmada eğitimin toplumlaşmasına örnek olarak eğitimdeki öğrenci sayılarındaki artışın ve bu artış içerisinde kız öğrencilerin durumuna dikkat çekilmiştir. Söz konusu araştırmada döneminin birinci el kaynakları olan <em>Blue Book’</em>lar<em> </em>ile dönemin eğitim raporlarından faydalanılmıştır. Sonuç olarak Kıbrıs Türk Eğitim sisteminde yapılan değişikler Kıbrıs Türk Toplumunu sosyal, kültürel ve siyasi olarak etkilemiştir.</p>

Intercultural education in situ

Purpose The overarching purpose of this paper is to explore the transformation of intercultural education in Cyprus in the context of European integration. More specifically, it indicates the ways in which intercultural policy has been formed by complex and often counteractive influences. The analysis draws upon policy documents collected from the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) and interviews carried out with Cypriot policy-makers. Europe has come to play an important role in the development of Cypriot intercultural policy by becoming a mechanism of pressure for educational change. Through monitoring processes, Europe has indicated problems deriving from the culturally pluralistic character of the Cypriot society that should be addressed by national policies. In this context, Cyprus has initiated an educational reform, including a reform of the national curriculum towards a more intercultural orientation. Nonetheless, the findings of this research assert that there is a gap between policy rhetoric and practice. Design/methodology/approach This study reports on an analysis of the policy dynamics influencing intercultural education in the Greek–Cypriot context. The authors aim to examine the context and content of educational policies and directives which have been initiated and/or developed at the Greek–Cypriot level. To this end, the authors drew upon policy documentary and data derived from interviews conducted with Greek–Cypriot policy-makers and education officers. Findings It appears that intercultural education became an important part of the state’s rhetoric. Cyprus has initiated an educational reform, including a reform of the national curriculum towards a more intercultural orientation. Therefore, since 2008, the state and particularly the MEC have replaced the previously used term of multicultural education with the rhetoric of intercultural education and inclusion as the preferable educational responses to immigration. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study suggest that the development of intercultural education requires the re-conceptualisation and re-structuring of the Cypriot educational system and schooling. The state should adopt a balanced governance model between school autonomy and centralised management. Practical implications This paper can help schools and teachers to improve their intercultural education approach. Social implications The findings could be helpful for improving the intercultural education policy in Cyprus. Originality/value These research finding are the first that deal with intercultural education policy in Cyprus.

Teachers reflect on homophobia in the Cypriot education system: A qualitative study

ABSTRACTA review of the academic and lay literature concerning Cyprus reveals that homophobia is prevalent throughout society. This research aimed to investigate homophobia through the narratives of educators. Twenty-three teachers were randomly selected out of the pool of volunteers in a training project. Aspects of homophobia previously reported in literature were investigated and categories emerged. Analyses of results show that homophobia manifests itself through the use of homophobic language in school settings and through homophobic bullying incidents. Results were expected according to previous reports investigating LGBT issues and gender and ethnic identity formation processes.

School Based Speech and Language Therapists’ Perceptions of MLU-w and Its Use

The aim of the study was to examine how mean length of utterance counted in words (MLU-w hereafter) is perceived and used by speech and language therapists (SLTs) in the Greek Cypriot education system. A postal questionnaire was used to gather information from SLTs in the Greek Cypriot education system. A mixed method approach was used to analyse the data collected from the responses of the SLTs. Results indicated that these SLTs feel positive about the use of MLU w in everyday practice as a supportive tool in the diagnostic process for pre-school Cypriot Greek (CYG) speaking children. Moreover, it was revealed that there are issues regarding language sample analysis (LSA) measures in school settings, as well as the need for SLTs to have adequate specialised training with regard to MLU-w in order to expand their knowledge of the use of LSA measures. Although further research is needed in the area of MLU-w and LSA measures, the findings of the study form an initial analysis of SLTs’ perceptions and offer valuable insights regarding their practices.

The Effects of the Economic Crisis on Inter-Ethnic Relations in Cypriot Schools

The aim of the paper is to examine the effects of the current economic crisis in the way teenagers experience and report interethnic relations with emphasis on interethnic violence in the school environment in Cyprus. It will report findings from an EU funded project which was recently completed (2012) titled: “Children’s voices: Exploring interethnic violence in schools”. Through an eclectic analysis on interview transcripts from group interviews with teenagers (16-17 year old) it emerges that in Cyprus there is an environment of growing concern about the presence of migrants in society and this has direct and indirect effects on education. Overall there are mixed perceptions about interethnic tolerance in schools ranging from negative to (politically correct) positive ones. While the prevalent discourse of multiculturalism in Cyprus uses the rhetoric of integration, what appears to be happening in the Cypriot educational system, is assimilation practices focusing on language acquisition. The findings of the empirical investigation point to interesting directions for educational policy regarding the whole gamut of interethnic relations in Cyprus at a period in time when the current economic crisis appears to have largely negative effects on multiculturalism. The paper concludes with a discussion on the way the Ministry of Education and schools in Cyprus respond to the above challenges and the prospects for the near future.

Understanding inclusion in Cyprus

This paper provides a framework for understanding inclusion in Cyprus. The evidence base is the result of a six-month qualitative research study in five Cypriot mainstream primary schools. Despite the rhetoric in favour of inclusion, it seems that the Cypriot educational system is still highly segregating in its philosophy and does not fully support the active inclusion and participation of all children in the school life. Overall, the framework is grounded on three key themes emerging from the research: inclusion is concerned only with the education of specific groups of children; the medical model is still prevalent within inclusion discourse; and inclusion is understood as consisting of different levels. As a result, a restructuring and transformation of inclusive education are necessary so as to reduce marginalisation and exclusion of many children and in particular those who have been identified as having special educational needs.

Multilingualism in the Cypriot Educational System: A Record of Primary School Students’ Views and Attitudes

Multilingualism in the Cypriot Educational System: A Record of Primary School Students’ Views and Attitudes

The Emotional Readiness of Greek Cypriot Teachers for Peaceful Co‐existence

In this article, we: (1) offer a conceptualisation of what it means for Greek Cypriot teachers to be ‘reconciled’ with the ‘other side’ (i.e. Turkish Cypriots) in Cyprus; (2) examine Greek Cypriot teachers' emotional responses to the new educational objective of cultivating peaceful coexistence in schools; and (3) investigate how Greek Cypriot teachers' perceptions of reconciliation and emotional responses to the new educational objective of cultivating peaceful coexistence are entangled, and what implications these entanglements may have for educational reform efforts. This investigation is based on data collected in a national survey of Greek Cypriot primary and secondary teachers. The study is important not only for the Greek Cypriot educational system, but also for educational reform efforts in other conflict‐ridden areas in Europe because it addresses a fundamental issue in relation to reconciliation: Can teachers, who may still carry traumatic experiences from a conflict and thus be (potentially) emotionally unready to engage in reconciliation, be convinced to put the past behind and promote peaceful coexistence in schools? The findings highlight the teachers' multiple ambivalences, yet they also identify openings for promoting reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in schools. The implications are discussed in terms of educational policymaking, curriculum development, and teacher training.

The Status of Physical Education in Cypriot Schools

The Status of Physical Education in Cypriot SchoolsA few years ago, comparative research was conducted in thirty-five countries in order to discover the innovative and stimulating aspects of physical education (PE) found all over the world. Cyprus was not included in that special study. The present and future position of PE is a crucial and critical issue in Cyprus. Therefore the author of this paper has carried out an investigation with the aim of revealing the status of PE in the Cypriot educational system and comparing it with other countries. This paper was written on the basis of that research. The Cypriot investigation found in this paper uses the same concept and methods as were utilised in the aforementioned cross-cultural study; the results are presented according to similar dimensions. The data was collected by documentary analysis and in-depth interviews. The results indicate that the status of PE in Cyprus is low and there are urgent problems that need to be seriously considered by the authorities of the Ministry of Education and Culture. Efforts have already been made by decision-makers to promote the development of a new curriculum, be introduced in future school years.

At a crossroad between memory and thinking: the case of primary history education in the Greek Cypriot educational system

At the moment primary history education in the Greek Cypriot educational system is mainly about providing substantive knowledge and promoting Greek national identity and other social goals. Debates about history education are mostly about the kind of the past that should conveyed to the students and the social aims which should be promoted through history. A recently emerged community of educators specialised in history education advocates in favour of an approach in history education which aims to develop students' historical thinking. The current reform process has to either move towards a new approach or preserve the current status quo.

The clash of evaluations

PurposeThe main purpose of this paper is to examine more closely the tension between, on the one hand, forms of internal school improvement based on internal evaluation measures and, on the other hand, control and legitimisation needs grounded on external evaluation measures.Design/methodology/approachThe clash of these forms of evaluation is at the core of the paper, dealing in particular with the changing evaluation systems in the Cypriot education system. Therefore, the case study approach is utilised here. More specifically, the case of Cyprus is used as a system under transition in order to move from a primarily teacher inspection system, which is externally driven, to a combination of a teacher/school inspection system, which is based on both external and internal processes and is directed at both formative and summative evaluation processes.FindingsIt is asserted that the new proposed appraisal system for Cyprus addresses the deficiencies of the current evaluation system and generally aims at achieving a balance between external and internal processes. Finally, the conditions for the acceptance and successful implementation of new evaluation systems are described.Originality/valueThe results of the study constitute a rich setting of future developments for Cyprus schools with regard to important issues such as school accountability, school improvement, teacher evaluation, internal school evaluation and external inspection, through the proposed appraisal system. Therefore, the paper provides an important source of information for those who have the responsibility of creating educational policy and planning for the years to come in the area of teacher appraisal.

Roma and their education in Cyprus: reflections on INSETRom teacher training for Roma inclusion

In this paper, the authors report on the results of the implementation of the IN‐SErvice Training for Roma Inclusion (INSETRom) project in Cyprus and discuss conclusions relating to the school inclusion of Roma in the Greek Cypriot educational system. After presenting country‐specific information on Roma and the education of Roma in the Greek Cypriot educational system, the authors describe a needs assessment study which took place in the course of the INSETRom project in Cyprus. The data for this preliminary phase of the project were collected through semi‐structured interviews with Roma pupils and their parents, as well as their teachers, from the three schools attended by the largest numbers of Roma children in the Greek Cypriot educational system. Despite official policies of non‐segregation and employment of supportive measures, the data pointed to the marginalization of Roma children in the school system. On the basis of these findings, the authors then describe the design, implementation and evaluation of the teacher‐training programme that followed. The paper concludes with the discussion of contextual and methodological issues relating to teacher training for educating Roma students in multicultural school settings. The authors also reflect on factors beyond teacher training which need to be addressed if education is to become inclusive for all pupils in general, and Roma children in particular.

Introducing a Teacher Evaluation System Based on Teacher Effectiveness Research: An Investigation of Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Teacher Effectiveness Research (TER) could be a foundation upon which a valid teacher evaluation system could be built. However, even a technically exceptional evaluation system may be doomed to fail if the political dynamics that influence its implementation are not examined. This study examines the extent to which a proposed teacher evaluation system based on TER is possible to gain acceptance from the main stakeholders of the Cypriot educational system. The extent to which stakeholders’ reactions to the proposed system are associated with their personal interests and concerns is also investigated. Both groups recognized that TER could be a foundation upon which a valid teacher evaluation system could be built but were critical of suggestions that might reduce their professional power. In order to reach consensus, policy makers should establish procedures to ensure a clear understanding among stakeholders of both the theoretical assumptions of the proposed system and the type of concerns that stakeholders might have against change.