The outcome of the 5th International Conference on literacy “will be a guide for the implementation of policies and actions that will contribute to further improving our educational system” President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday. 

He was addressing the start of a three-day international conference that takes place in Filoxenia Conference Center in Nicosia.

The Conference is co-organised by the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute and the University of Cyprus, with the participation of 240 attendees, academics, and students from across Europe, as noted by the Deputy Director of the Pedagogical Institute.

President Christodoulides noted that the current challenges, geopolitical, climatic, technological, lead to an environment of uncertainty, which in turn means it is essential to have continuous readjustments of the educational system.

He also underlined that literacy is a necessary condition for improving life and promoting social development, at all levels.

“Our main goal is to deal with the long-term distortions of the educational system and, at the same time, to lay the foundations for its evolution into a modern system, which will establish the principles and values, knowledge and skills that we want to define democratic, critical thinking, creative and active citizens of Cypriot society,” the President added.

Concluding, the President underlined that scientific documentation is necessary for educational change and noted that the discussion, the networking, and the outcome of the conference are very important.

Minister of Education, Athena Michailidou, addressing the conference, said that the aim the Ministry is the literacy of citizens in a modern and inclusive school system that places an emphasis on the abilities, skills, and knowledge of the students. She noted that the Ministry moves forward with the update and the revision of the curriculum, so that multiple literacies are simultaneously promoted.

She added that the update of the curriculum, so that it does not include unnecessary elements, to allow the teachers to incorporate digital skills in the teaching process. The Minister said that extra emphasis is placed in teaching of Greek language, as following international studies which indicate that much more needs to be done in text comprehension.

Michaelidou also spoke of the Ministry’s actions for digital literacy, environmental education, lifelong education, STEM programs, as well as the reinforcement in prevention and early intervention, starting from pre-school education, with early diagnosis programs from kindergarten. “We will need time, systematic effort, persistence and patience,” said the Minister.

Addressing the conference Deputy Director of the Pedagogical Institute, Elena Chajikakou, said that the aim of the conference is to underline the impact of literacy in the school, the social and in a dynamic environment. “It is important to further intensify our efforts for the literacy of students, but also of all residents", said Chajikakou, adding that literacy "constitutes the most important factor for further strengthening the Cypriot society in all areas."

Rector of the University of Cyprus (UP), Tasos Christofides, also addressed the Conference, saying that he looks forward to the continuation of the cooperation between the Pedagogical Institute and the University of Cyprus for the organisation of the conference in the coming years.

At a time when the development of a critical thinking, but also of action, are conditions for the survival of societies and people, "the conference becomes a place for productive discussion of the ways in which education and training can become humanised and can humanise" others, said the Rector. He also spoke of the University’s contribution through academic research to highlight the central position of language and discourse in shaping societies.