The discussion on the reform of teacher evaluation has reached a critical point, with MPs agreeing on several changes that further diminish the role of school heads in the process. As the bill heads to the final plenary session of 2025, debate continues over key provisions that unions consider red lines.
Reduced Weight for School Heads
The role of the school head in the new teacher evaluation framework has been further curtailed. During yesterday’s meeting of the Parliamentary Education Committee, which concluded the article-by-article review of the bill, members decided to reduce the weight of the principal’s input in the numerical assessment.
If adopted as is, the principal’s assessment will account for 15 per cent of the overall score. The Ministry of Education’s initial proposal, submitted to Parliament last July, set the percentage at 30 per cent, sparking reactions from teachers’ unions. The Ministry revised its position in October, lowering the share to 20 per cent. Yesterday, committee members voted by majority to bring it down to 15 per cent.
Changes Adopted by the Committee
The bill will now move to the House plenary for the final session of 2025. Aside from the reduced role of the principal, MPs agreed on several additional amendments.
Shorter transitional period
The transitional period is reduced from the five years originally proposed to three. Should the bill pass, the new system is expected to be fully implemented in the 2028–2029 school year, instead of 2030–2031.
Evaluation scale
The evaluation scale will remain at 40 points rather than 100, contrary to the Ministry’s preference. According to information obtained by Politis, some MPs argued that a 100-point scale leaves “greater room for favouritism”.
Education Minister Athena Michaelidou, who attended the discussion despite recovering from injury, urged MPs to reconsider this point.
Senior teacher role
The initial intention to remove the role of senior teacher encountered resistance from the Ministry. The committee instead adopted a DISY amendment requiring that any teacher who chooses the senior teacher route rather than assistant head must wait 12 years, instead of 10, to become eligible for promotion to head teacher.
Amendments Still Pending
The changes agreed so far do not alter the core philosophy of the proposal. The Education Minister expressed overall satisfaction but noted that the government has yet to see the final text that will go before the plenary.
A clearer picture is expected next Wednesday, when amendments will be formally discussed as required by parliamentary procedure. Parties may also submit new amendments directly during the plenary session, even if these were not adopted by the committee. This appears likely for AKEL, whose amendment to remove the principal’s numerical evaluation of teachers was not supported by other committee members.
Unions Prepare Their Response
Beyond the parliamentary amendments, reactions from the teachers’ unions OELMEK and POED are anticipated in the coming days. While the revised plan aligns more closely with their positions, it still includes provisions they consider red lines and potential grounds for industrial action. These include evaluation by the school head and the role of the senior teacher.