Schools to integrate growing number of migrant children

In the new academic year, schools will set goals and priorities to help integrate the rising number of migrant students attending class, said Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou.

He said there is a large number of migrant students at Cyprus elementary and high schools who need assistance.

Prodromou said the government welcomed migrant students and prioritised integrating them into Cyprus society.

He said the basic prerequisites were learning Greek and being informed about the island’s social and cultural situation.

Prodromou said that data showed in 2021-2022, there were 8,144 children in elementary schools whose mother tongue was not Greek from a total of 9,616 migrant students in Cyprus.

There were 29,168 migrant students at high schools the last academic year; 7.7% were from EU countries and 7.2% from third countries.

He said that 11.7% of these students did not speak Greek. In Lyceums, there were 2,650 migrant students (15,1%), of whom 11.1% did not have Greek as their mother tongue.

The minister said that the goal was not for them just to learn Greek but to participate and engage throughout the school year.

In elementary schools, 4,490 hours will be allocated to all students who participate in special programs for smooth integration, the minister said, adding that there was room for improvement.

“Tangible goals have been set, and the programs for these students will be assessed constantly.”