President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides stressed on Friday that technical education constitutes a key pillar for the country’s future, during a visit to the ‘Makarios III’ Technical and Vocational Education and Training School in Nicosia, where he attended a breakfast prepared by students of the school, including students from the special education unit.
The President was accompanied by Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Athina Michaelidou and Commissioner of the Presidency, Marios Hartsiotis, while particular emphasis during the visit was placed on both the upgrading of technical education and the strengthening of special education and children’s professional rehabilitation.
In statements to reporters upon his arrival at the school, President Christodoulides said the visit aimed, among other things, to highlight the importance the Government attaches to technical education.
‘My visit to the technical school, among many other things, aims to demonstrate the importance we as a Government attach to technical education. We want more of our children to pursue technical education and we believe in the future of technical education,’ he said.
The President noted that the Government proceeded, for the first time, with the establishment of technical gymnasiums, adding that their number is increasing from two to four, with plans for further expansion.
At the same time, he said efforts are underway to modernise academic programmes and establish new technical schools across Cyprus, starting with Nicosia and Larnaca.
‘Our students in technical schools are the future of our country,’ he said, adding that a ‘mistaken mentality’ that existed for years in Cypriot society regarding technical education has now changed.
President Christodoulides also underlined that there has been an upward trend in the number of students choosing technical education in recent years, which, he said, confirms the correctness of the policy being followed.
He also made special reference to special education, on the occasion of the participation of students from the school’s special unit in the preparation and serving of the breakfast.
‘It is our obligation as a Government to offer all our children the same opportunities, the same programmes at school and afterwards, whether they wish to work or study, to have the same opportunities,’ he said.
The President further revealed that discussions are underway for the formulation of a comprehensive policy on special education, which, as he said, ‘has been missing from our state’ and is expected to be announced before September.
As he explained, the process involves the Ministry of Education, the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Commerce, with the aim of creating a comprehensive support framework for children in special education.
He also referred to the Government’s decision to extend the age limit for attendance from 21 to 22 years old, while noting that this is not a permanent solution and that additional measures are being examined.
‘Children in special education must also, if they wish to study after completing school, have the opportunity to do so. If they wish to work, the state must create the appropriate framework to facilitate whichever choice they make,’ he noted.
In remarks before the breakfast with the students, the President reiterated that ‘in education, the priority is the student,’ stressing that all Government decisions in the fields of education and health are treated as investments in the country’s future.
‘Health and education are not approached by us as decisions within the framework of an accounting exercise or an economic policy. They are sectors where every decision we make is approached as an investment in the future of our country,’ he said.
For his part, the school’s director welcomed the President of the Republic, the Minister of Education and the Commissioner of the Presidency, describing the visit as a particularly important moment for the educational community, especially for the students of the special unit who participated in preparing the breakfast.
As he said, their presence constitutes ‘practical confirmation of the state’s ongoing interest and substantial support’ for the work carried out at the school, while reinforcing the values of acceptance, equality and inclusion.
During the visit, students from the special unit presented the President, the Education Minister and the Commissioner of the Presidency with handmade crafts they had created as part of their school activities.