Cyprus parliament updates legislation on student supervision outside school hours

The Parliament of Cyprus has approved an amendment to the Elementary Education Law to regulate the supervision of students before and after school hours. The legislation passed with 18 votes in favor and 15 abstentions from AKEL. Responsibility for student safety during these intervals is now formally transferred to the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth, rather than local school boards as initially proposed. The measure covers a period of approximately 30 minutes before classes begin and 30 minutes after they conclude. The law is scheduled to come into effect starting from the 2026-2027 academic year. Alekos Tryfonidis, the parliamentary representative of DIPA who proposed the bill, stated that the move addresses safety risks for children waiting to be picked up by their parents. The Ministry of Education is tasked with conducting the necessary consultations to ensure the implementation of this oversight mandate.