Inspection visits to private tutoring centres and private educational centres will continue throughout the 2026-2027 school year, carried out without prior notice during their afternoon operating hours. The Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth has reminded all owners of their obligations under the current legislation, the relevant regulations and the terms under which their centres were approved to open and operate.
New head of the Private Education Sector
According to the ministry's announcement, the Department of Secondary General Education has informed owners that since 1 September 2026, Dr Georgia Neophytou, First Education Officer, has taken over as Head of the Private Education Sector.
Purpose of the inspections
The visits are carried out by the sector's inspection officers. Their purpose is to inform owners, establish whether they are complying with the legislation, update the centres' records, and verify whether the information declared to the ministry for licensing purposes remains accurate.
The inspections take place without warning, in the afternoon, while the centres are operating.
Obligations during inspections
Under the legislation, owners are required to facilitate the work of inspection officers and to provide the necessary information about the centre when requested. Where the owner is neither the director of the centre nor present on site, another person employed at the centre must be able to provide the information requested.
What inspectors will check
The inspection covers verification of the centre's exact address; confirmation that its signage matches the trading name registered with the Department of the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property; verification of the owner and director; the condition of classrooms and other areas; a record of teaching and non-teaching staff, including administrative and support staff; a check and record of the subjects taught; a record of operating hours; and a record of the information provided by the owner or director regarding staff, operating hours and any other related matter.
Changes to premises and fire safety
According to the announcement, in the event of any changes or alterations to premises, owners must obtain new permits or certificates from the competent authorities, namely Town Planning, the municipality or District Officer, and the Fire Service, and submit them to the ministry for information and approval.
Where inspection officers identify obvious irregularities in the buildings of approved centres, owners must submit an updated fire safety certificate from the Cyprus Fire Service. The ministry stresses that the safety of pupils and teachers working in these centres comes first.
Relocation and other changes
If an approved centre is to relocate, the owner must inform the ministry in good time, before the move takes place, and submit the documents required for the centre to be approved and entered under its new address in the Register of Approved Tutoring Centres.
For any other changes, such as adding new subjects, changes to teaching staff, a change of director or a change of owner, the owner must inform the ministry in good time so that they can be approved.
Owner responsibility and sanctions
The announcement states that it is the owner's responsibility to ensure that all information about the centre held by the ministry is accurate, complete and up to date.
Compliance with the legislation is the sole responsibility of owners, and ignorance of the law or of the relevant obligations is not an excuse and does not remove liability for any irregularities.
Where non-compliance is found, the ministry may take the actions provided for by law and impose, where applicable, the administrative and/or other sanctions provided for.
The ministry said it expects full compliance, timely response and genuine cooperation from all owners of approved tutoring centres.
