Only three in every 100 teachers in Cyprus are under the age of 30, placing the country alongside Portugal as having the lowest share of young teachers in the European Union.
The findings suggest not so much one of Europe's oldest teaching workforces as a system struggling to attract and integrate new entrants into the profession.
The figures are contained in the European Commission's latest report, "The Teaching Profession in the EU", published last month and drawing on data from TALIS 2024 and Eurostat.
The report examines the state of the teaching profession across the EU, working conditions and the challenges member states face in recruiting and retaining teachers.
Across the EU, an average of 8% of teachers are under 30, compared with just 3% in Cyprus.
At the other end of the scale is Malta, where the figure stands at 17%.
The share is approximately 15% in Belgium and Luxembourg, and around 13% in Ireland.
Countries closest to Cyprus include Poland at 4% and Italy and Lithuania at 5%.
The Cyprus paradox
Cyprus is not, however, among the countries with the oldest teaching workforce.
Around 40% of teachers across the EU are aged 50 and over, rising to 58% in Lithuania, 54% in Latvia, Portugal and Italy, and 52% in Greece.
In secondary education, TALIS 2024 records an average teacher age of 46 years in Cyprus, compared with 45 across OECD countries.
In secondary schools, 33% of teachers are aged 50 or older, while only 4% are under 30, compared with an OECD average of 10%.
What makes Cyprus particularly notable is that this limited presence of younger teachers exists in a country that continues to produce more teachers than it requires.
The report describes Cyprus as the only EU country facing an oversupply of teachers.
That oversupply is partly linked to the continued attractiveness of the profession, due to pay and working conditions compared with other career options.
Some 73% of Cypriot teachers report being satisfied with their salary, compared with 37.3% across the EU.
The corresponding figure in Cyprus in 2018 was 58.5%.
Overall, 92.8% of teachers in Cyprus report satisfaction with their job, compared with 89.9% across the EU.
At the same time, however, the percentage of teachers holding permanent contracts fell from 79% in 2018 to 71.8% in 2024, compared with an EU average of 82.3%.
This trend coincides with a gradual decline in the share of graduates entering education-related fields, although Cyprus continues to rank highly by European standards.
Spotlight on recruitment
Based on its findings, the European Commission stresses the need for member states to ensure renewal of the teaching workforce by improving the attractiveness of the profession and making it easier for younger teachers to enter and remain in the sector.
Particular attention is given to:
- Working conditions
- Professional development
- Support for new teachers
- Long-term workforce planning
For Cyprus, where just 3% of teachers are under 30 despite the current oversupply, these observations carry added significance, especially as debate continues over changes to the teacher recruitment system.
At present, two appointment lists operate in parallel.
The older Appointments Register is based largely on seniority, while the Appointable List, introduced under the 2015 reform, ranks candidates on a range of criteria, with the written examination carrying the greatest weight, alongside additional points for academic qualifications and teaching experience.
Until 31 August 2027, vacancies are filled equally from both lists.
From 1 September 2027, the old Appointments Register will be abolished and all first-time teaching appointments will be made exclusively through the Appointable List.
Weaknesses in the new system
The transition is also exposing weaknesses that the Ministry of Education is now attempting to address.
The issue is not whether the current legislation can technically be implemented, but whether the system, operating on its own after 2027, will provide a sufficient pool of candidates to meet staffing needs.
As a result, discussions are under way on reforms before the old register is abolished.
Proposals include changes to:
- The written examination
- The ranking system
- The balance between exam performance, qualifications and experience
The issue takes on added weight in light of the European findings.
The 2015 system was designed, among other things, to enable qualified younger candidates to compete for public-school positions earlier, rather than spending years on a waiting list.
Yet today only 3% of teachers are under 30.
At the same time, the ministry has already identified a risk that some subject areas may not have enough candidates on the Appointable Lists to cover staffing needs once the old register is abolished.
Consequently, today's teacher oversupply cannot be assumed to continue indefinitely.
The extremely low share of teachers under 30, combined with fewer young people choosing education studies, points to a broader challenge than simply ranking candidates on an appointments list.
The system due to take full effect from 2027 will need not only to ensure an adequate supply of teachers, but also to facilitate the renewal of the teaching workforce in Cyprus' schools.
