Parliament to vote on student grant revisions

The Cyprus Parliament is scheduled to vote on a bill amending the State Student Welfare Act following discussions in the Committee on Education. The legislation proposes raising income thresholds for eligibility by 5,000 euros and increasing grant amounts by 10% for families with an annual income up to 44,000 euros. It also seeks to remove income and asset criteria for families with more than five dependent children. The bill was drafted by the Ministry of Finance in response to long-standing requests from student organizations and groups representing large families. While the proposal aims to expand social policy, political parties have expressed mixed reactions. Christos Christofides of AKEL argued the improvements are insufficient, while Prodromos Alabritis of DISY welcomed the changes but suggested further support for families with multiple students and better adjustment for the cost of living. There is ongoing discussion regarding potential amendments to further protect primary residences and better account for inflation.