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It is with great pleasure that I welcome you today to the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth and to the press conference for the "I Feel Confident" campaign, which is implemented by Unilever Tseriotis Cyprus in cooperation with the non-profit organization Hope for Children-CRC Policy Center. The aim of this campaign is to educate and inform our students about the major social phenomenon of the influence of Social Media on self-esteem, physical appearance and the projection of appearance standards. The material used during the campaign, using the method of non-formal education and experiential learning, seeks to explore and reflect on how their self-image is influenced by Social Media.
The collaboration with organisations such as Unilever Tseriotis Cyprus and the non-profit organisation Hope for Children-CRC Policy Center contributes to the realisation of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth's goal of empowering our students with skills that will enable them to face the ever-changing conditions and challenges of our times, both on a personal and social level.
A very important factor that can have a decisive influence on the school and social life of our pupils is their sense of self-confidence. When we feel self-confidence, i.e. confidence in ourselves, we are able to face any challenges with optimism and determination. It is important to recognise the importance of self-confidence in the development of our children, as it is the basis for success. In this context, the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth has made it a priority to promote a safe and supportive school environment where all pupils develop skills of resilience, initiative, responsibility, trust and mutual respect.
On this basis, we implement policies and actions aimed at developing the above skills in our pupils. In response to the continuous developments of modern technologies, we have set up the Internet Safety Centre, which is coordinated by the Pedagogical Institute and aims to strengthen efforts for creative and safe use of the Internet in our country. As part of the activities of the Safer Internet Centre, the Helpline and Complaints Line 1480 also operates, which provides information, advice and support to children, young people, young people, parents and teachers on issues related to the use of digital technologies and the Internet, and receives complaints about illegal activities on the Internet. At the same time, the Pedagogical Institute carries out relevant training and activities for pupils, parents and teachers.
In addition, as a Ministry we have emphasized the smooth transition of our pupils from one grade to another, aiming at the early recognition and treatment of emotional difficulties that some pupils may experience due to the new facts in their lives. In this context, we are developing and implementing smooth transition programmes to enhance children's confidence and readiness for new experiences, as well as to train teachers and their parents and guardians.
In addition, we are proceeding with one of the most important reforms, the expansion of pre-primary education to cover children as young as four years old. The educational benefits are multiple, as the earlier children enter education, the easier it is for them to develop the necessary skills. At the same time, this change contributes to the early diagnosis of any learning problems that lead to a reduction in children's self-confidence.
In addition, the process of modernising and updating the curricula is underway, with one of its objectives being the horizontal promotion of the eight key modern skills as defined by the Council of Europe. The emphasis will be on the interdisciplinary development of our students' critical thinking and creativity, as well as on strengthening their social and emotional skills.
In addition, we have implemented the new student assessment system, which is based on multiple forms of assessment and enhances, among other things, the promotion of life skills/competences, emphasising the all-round assessment of students and thus their improvement.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that as a Ministry, we are implementing programmes for the prevention of violence and the empowerment of children from pre-school age, reinforcing the existing policies that are being implemented and aim to protect children from all forms of violence, but also to strengthen mutual respect, so that everyone can enjoy the benefit of education without discrimination and violence.
We make efforts to ensure that no child is targeted, bullied or marginalised. The systematic implementation of our Ministry's policy of zero tolerance of both racism and bullying contributes to the creation of a school environment in which every child has confidence in himself or herself and feels comfortable, regardless of any particularities. Of course, on these very important issues, there is always room for improvement.
In the above context, we support the work of the NGOs that join us in this effort. I look forward with particular interest to the presentation of the findings of the survey conducted as part of the campaign and aimed at children aged 12-18. Reaffirming the commitment and support of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth for cooperation towards the promotion and exploitation of the work of these bodies, I wish every success in the implementation of the campaign.
IP
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