After strikes and endless discussions, parliament on Monday passed into law the contentious bill aimed at reforming the education sector by introducing a new teacher evaluation system.
The bill was passed with 29 votes in favour and 18 against, while the accompanying regulations were approved with 29 votes in favour and 17 against.
Amendments tabled by AKEL were rejected, while one oral amendment by DISY and additional amendments submitted by DISY MPs Giorgos Karoullas, Prodromos Alambritis and Marios Mavridis, DIKO MP Chrysantos Savvidis, and independent MP Andreas Apostolou were adopted.
Among other provisions, the approved amendments provide for the inclusion of assistant headteachers and senior assistant headteachers in the evaluation process.
Parliament also unanimously approved a legislative proposal submitted by the chair of the parliamentary education committee, DIKO MP Pavlos Mylonas. The amendment modifies the Public Educational Service Law to ensure that teachers who are promoted following evaluation while on secondment will have their secondment terminated and return to their substantive post in order to assume the duties of their new position.
The provision applies both to seconded teachers and to cases where teachers are assigned exclusively administrative duties. It was further decided that the regulation will enter into force one year after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic.
What changes under the new system
With the approval of the bill and regulations, the teacher evaluation framework is being revised for the first time in approximately 50 years. The stated aim of the new system is to address weaknesses and distortions in the existing framework through the adoption of a “flexible and fair” evaluation model, designed to provide continuous professional development for educators.
According to the provisions, the new system seeks to improve the quality and outcomes of teaching and learning, ensure timely intervention, strengthen support for teachers, promote continuous professional learning and provide incentives for excellence and recognition. It also aims to reinforce meritocracy, transparency and overall effectiveness.
Key changes include a clearer definition of the role of pedagogical advisers, a reduction in the weighting of the school headteacher’s assessment in the final numerical evaluation from 30% to 20%, and a lowering of the minimum score required for a satisfactory evaluation from 50% to at least 40%.
Transitional provisions were also amended to regulate the evaluation of teachers until the 2030–2031 school year, when the new system will be fully implemented. It was clarified that regulations concerning final numerical evaluation and the role of headteachers will enter into force at a later stage, following further discussion by the Evaluation System Monitoring Committee.
Parliamentary debate
The approval followed a two-hour plenary debate, during which all political parties set out their positions, referring both to the advantages and shortcomings of the new system, pressure exerted by teachers’ unions, and criticisms levelled at educators. Most speakers praised the role of the chair of the education committee in achieving consensus.
Committee chair Pavlos Mylonas described the reform as a long-overdue change, abolishing what he characterised as an unjust and non-meritocratic inspection-based system. He said the new framework enables capable teachers to act as mentors to newly appointed or struggling colleagues, while noting that further work remains to be done to complete implementation by 2028.
Independent MP Andreas Apostolou voiced support for public education and teachers, rejecting what he described as unfair generalisations about the public school system. He acknowledged that improvements remain necessary but credited the Ministry of Education with helping unblock reforms that had stalled for years.
Criticisms
Strong opposition was expressed by independent MP Andreas Themistocleous, who argued that the new system would not resolve underlying problems in education and described it as a costly €15 million scheme that could have been used more effectively. He questioned whether the reform would benefit students and cited past failed initiatives.
Independent MP Kostis Efstathiou also opposed the reform, pointing to a lack of dialogue and structural deadlocks in education, while advocating a stronger role for school boards.
From DIKO, MP Chrysanthos Savvidis said the process had involved cooperation and synthesis of views, describing the reform as a living framework that can be improved over time.
AKEL MPs criticised the bill as incomplete and overly bureaucratic, warning of legal gaps, excessive administrative structures and the absence of a robust scientific approach aligned with successful European models. AKEL MP Eirini Charalambidou also criticised what she described as unacceptable rhetoric from education union leadership and stressed that Parliament cannot operate under pressure.
Step forward
DISY MPs defended the reform as a step forward aimed at strengthening meritocracy, fairness and the public school system, arguing that evaluation should be seen as an empowering tool rather than a punitive measure. Independent MP Alexandra Attalidou also voted in favour, saying the reform aligns with the long-term goal of a democratic and critical education system.
Green Party leader Stavros Papadouris commended the education committee chair, stating that reform inevitably requires difficult decisions.
The approval took place in the presence of the Minister of Education and the heads of the teachers’ unions.