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- Ελληνικά
It is a special pleasure for me to be with you today to address the 48th Annual General Assembly of the Pancyprian Confederation of Federations of Associations of Parents and Guardians of Public Secondary Schools.
My presence here is a practical proof of the respect and appreciation of both the State and myself personally for the Federation and its members. Your dedicated volunteer work and the important work you have done over the years is recognized as being of the utmost importance to the education, progress and welfare of our children and to the improvement of the school climate. Equally important is the close cooperation that the Federation develops with all stakeholders in the educational events of the country, as well as its substantial contribution to solving problems and upgrading the quality of education provided.
I note that Education is one of the most important pillars of government policy.
I note that Education is one of the most important pillars of government policy. The President of the Republic himself has stressed several times the importance that the State attaches to education. My presence here confirms the Government's objective and will to ensure the quality, improvement and upgrading of education in our country. To achieve this goal, we recognize all of you, organized parents and guardians, as valuable partners.
Our priority is to address chronic distortions and create a modern, human-centered, inclusive school. Aiming at the immediate implementation of our programmatic proposals, we have already proceeded with the implementation of innovations and are promoting a number of others, aiming at the radical reform and qualitative upgrading of our educational system.
Referring specifically to secondary education, I note that we have formulated a student-centred evaluation system based on pedagogical criteria, which is accompanied by dynamic training programmes for our teachers.
We have proceeded to set up teams to update and modernise our Curricula, with the aim of rationalising the curriculum, aiming at a modern educational system that promotes the abilities, skills and knowledge of each child so that he/she becomes an active citizen, able to respond to modern challenges.
At the same time, within the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the design of a new system of evaluation of teachers and educational work is being promoted with a view to completion in the next three years. The ultimate goal is to create a valid and reliable system that will promote the improvement of both school work and learning outcomes. Already in the above-mentioned framework, a decision of the Council of Ministers last month has institutionalized the self-evaluation of the school unit so that each school implements its own action plan, while the Ministry, having a supervisory role, will support and assist the effort.
At the same time, we are introducing new and modern training programmes for our teachers, based on their own needs, investing substantially in their professional development.
To promote multilingualism through public schools, we have included the pilot teaching of German language in secondary schools and high schools and, after evaluating the programme, we are proceeding with its expansion.
In addition, we have embarked on the grand task of the necessary reorganization of Special Education and are moving towards an inclusive school which will meet the needs of all children on the basis of their specificities.
Noteworthy is the digital transformation of our schools and the simultaneous promotion of three other related actions for the digital literacy of our students, actions which are also funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan. These actions, which were initiated by the previous administration and are being actively taken forward by us, concern the subsidy of vulnerable groups of students to acquire laptops and tablets, the training of our teachers, as well as the transformation of our Curricula with the development of educational materials for STEM subjects.
At the same time, we place particular emphasis on prevention and early intervention to effectively address phenomena of violence and delinquency in our schools. In this context, we are strengthening school support structures such as the Violence Observatory, the Educational Psychology Service, the Counselling and Vocational Education Service and the Direct Intervention Team. Only recently, the Cabinet has approved a series of school empowerment measures which stem from research into the issue and are targeted for success.
Measures in which parents have an important role to play in acting as a safety net to the school. Among other things, alternative learning programmes are being planned for children with highly delinquent behaviour, so that we can give these children the opportunity to be supported, but also so that all others have the right to regular schooling.
In addition, in order to deal with phenomena of violence and delinquency outside school hours, a pilot programme for the installation of smart cameras in schools is being implemented from this year, with a parallel increase in guarding.
For this year, through dialogue, in which parents have a key role and voice, we are improving and upgrading the all-day school to act as a counterbalance, offering important knowledge, skills and abilities to children.
It is worth noting that, in response to a long-standing request to improve teaching and learning conditions, we are installing air conditioning in classrooms on the basis of criteria relating mainly to the safety of the buildings and the health and safety of the children.
Friends,
In the process of upgrading and modernizing our educational system, the role of every parent, especially organized parents, is crucial. Parents hold an important and irreplaceable role in a child's educational journey. We believe it is imperative that you bring other parents together with you and with us. Your support, guidance and encouragement are the cornerstones of a successful educational experience. Parent-school collaboration has been research-proven to be essential to improving a country's education system and ensuring that each child reaches his or her full potential. Partnerships and synergies with all are welcome and necessary.
The Pancyprian Confederation of Federations of Associations of Parents and Guardians of Public Secondary Schools is the important communication link between the Ministry, schools and parents. Your collective voice is a strong advocate for the interests of our students and the quality of their education. Your engagement, your views and your perspective are essential elements as we work to align our educational goals with the aspirations of children, parents and the wider community.
At the same time, as we work on education policies shaped in line with the Governance Programme and the priorities of the European Union, your role becomes even more critical. By actively participating in the policy development process, you join us towards the realisation of our vision of the modern school.
What I have mentioned is only part of the targeted plans we are adopting, seeking to make public schools responsive to the demands, challenges and needs of our time. We, for our part, will continue to work with dedication and planning, on the basis of pedagogical criteria, in this direction.
I assure you again of our given support for any new initiatives you undertake for the benefit not only of your own children but also of the education of our country at large, and for the continuation of our united cooperation.
(OP/EAθ)
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