Parental Education in Cyprus: past, present and future

Abstract

The article presents information on the history of parental education in Cyprus. The state of Cyprus has a population of nearly 700, 000 people. The historical and political developments on the island has influenced its education system. A historical account of its development is essential in order to understand Cypriot education in general and Cypriot parental education in particular. The article examines parental education in the midst of this broader educational and social context. In Cyprus there are three main bodies concerned with the education of parents, representing in some ways the past, the present and the future of Cypriot parental education. They are the University of Cyprus, Pancyprian School for Parents and the Adult Education Centres of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The article further informs that the School for Parents was established in Cypress at a time when the teaching profession held a powerful position in the social structure of a partly illiterate population.