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Children in special education programs in Cyprus will now be allowed to remain in school until age 22, President Nikos Christodoulides announced Thursday, extending the current age limit by one year.
The change will serve as an interim measure while the government works to expand access to appropriate care facilities across the country, the president said at the start of a Cabinet meeting.
Christodoulides said discussions are ongoing with the private sector to ensure “dignified facilities” are available for all children in special education.
He said the decision was prompted by a recent conversation with a 21-year-old special education student named Nektarios, whom he met during a visit to the Famagusta region.
“Nektarios told me he is about to graduate but wishes to remain in a school environment,” Christodoulides said. “I had promised to look into the matter, and we’ve since followed up. This change is an important reform to ensure equal opportunities for all our children.”
The president also addressed two other issues: youth unemployment and classroom conditions during national exams.
Christodoulides pointed to new data from the Statistical Service showing a 37% drop in youth unemployment, defined as individuals up to 24 years old, in the first quarter of 2025. The number of unemployed youth fell from 5,221 to 2,196.
“This is a significant development that reflects the effectiveness of the policies we’ve implemented,” he said.
He also noted strong interest in the government’s “brain gain” initiative launched in the United Kingdom, aimed at encouraging Cypriots abroad to return. He said the program exceeded expectations, drawing interest from Cypriots in other countries as well.
“These efforts are part of a broader push to better align education with labor market needs,” he said, adding that teacher evaluations, a requirement under the national Recovery and Resilience Plan, are also part of ongoing education reforms.
On the topic of classroom conditions, Christodoulides said that for the first time, all students taking nationwide exams will do so in air-conditioned classrooms.
“This has been a recurring issue every summer, with complaints and protests,” he said. “But this year, 5,119 candidates will sit for exams in conditions appropriate for a modern European state.”
He credited the milestone to “political will, planning and swift implementation,” and said the government remains committed to equipping all primary and secondary schools in Cyprus with air conditioning.
