-
.
- Ελληνικά
It is my great honour and pleasure to be with you today at this special school, in the presence of the Ambassador of France to Cyprus, Mrs Salina Grenay-Katalanot. As Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, it is always touching to visit the schools and meet the teachers, the students and the whole educational community.
The establishment of the French Cypriot school, which will celebrate twelve years of activity next September, and two years of activity in Limassol, is an investment for education in Cyprus, for the present and the future, as well as for the socio-economic and cultural development and progress of our country. It is also an important investment in French-Cypriot relations and demonstrates the excellent cooperation between our two countries, particularly in the field of education. The Franco-Cypriot school embodies in practice the close cooperation between Cyprus and France, which is based on shared values and principles. Since its establishment in 2012, the school has been a true bridge between French and Cypriot culture and has since then offered quality, bilingual education based on the values of respect and diversity. This unique approach allows students to broaden their minds and gain intercultural understanding, values that are valuable in our increasingly globalised world. I am glad to see that this collaboration is bearing fruit. We are particularly pleased to see the rapid and dynamic growth of the school, whose number of pupils is gradually increasing.
As a Ministry, we support the universal principles of Francophonie. We therefore implement policies to promote multilingualism, with French having already become a vibrant and dynamic language in Cyprus. These policies are part of our holistic planning and our continuous effort to offer quality education for all and for all, and to transition to the modern, democratic and inclusive school that is a key priority under our Governance Programme. I refer, for example, to the extension of the French language to all grades of secondary education, the widespread implementation of French language certification in public schools, the participation of Cyprus in the programme to welcome language assistants and the teaching of French in all full-day primary schools.
Dear students,
As the school year draws to a close, I would like to congratulate you for the work you have done all these months. I invite you to make the most of the upcoming weeks of well-deserved holidays. Rest, spend time with your loved ones, discover new horizons. But don't forget to continue to nurture your curiosity and your thirst for learning. Education is the key to your growth and your future success.
Congratulating you, your children, your teacher(s), as well as your school's management and management committee for their work, dedication and determination, I assure you that the Ministry and I personally stand ready to support efforts to implement all the decisions taken in favour of the school's development and ongoing upgrading.
In closing, I take this opportunity to express my gratitude and warm thanks to the Ambassador of France to Cyprus, Mrs Salina Grenet-Catalano, for our very fruitful and creative collaboration during her tenure in Cyprus, which will soon come to an end.
This school, like many other educational actions and reforms in recent years, is the result of a close and fruitful relationship, and demonstrates the shared commitment of Cyprus and France to provide quality education for all. Always in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect, we have managed to build bridges of communication and promote joint initiatives, recognising the importance of education as a driving force of progress and a foundation of our common development.
(EAT/NYAN)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
