Former chairs of the Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation (IKYK) have warned that longstanding structural weaknesses within the organisation remain unresolved, despite the expansion of its responsibilities following the abolition of the Independent Social Support Agency.
According to former officials and findings highlighted in a recent Audit Office report, the foundation has been tasked with managing greater responsibilities without receiving the resources or organisational support needed to do so effectively.
Understaffing at the core of the problem
Former IKYK chairman Andreas Orphanides told Politis that understaffing lies at the heart of the institution's difficulties.
He argued that an organisation responsible for managing millions of euros in public funds lacks basic financial management structures, noting there is neither an accountant nor a financial officer in place.
According to Orphanides, repeated proposals were submitted to the Finance Ministry calling for the recruitment of key personnel, including financial and IT specialists, as well as a broader upgrade of the foundation's operations.
However, he said those recommendations failed to translate into meaningful reforms or a concrete strengthening plan.
"The issue is not the need to support students or expand the foundation's role," he said. "The problem is that these changes were implemented without first creating the conditions necessary for effective operation."
He described the situation as being "like adding another illness to a terminally ill patient."
'The problems were well known'
Former chairman George Skalias, who led the foundation during the period examined by the Audit Office, echoed those concerns.
Speaking to Politis, he said the institution's weaknesses were neither new nor unexpected and had been repeatedly raised with both the Finance Ministry and political leaders.
"The question is not whether they know about the problems, but whether there is political will to address them," he said.
Skalias identified understaffing and the need for better staff training among the foundation's most pressing challenges.
Call to review scholarship system
Skalias also argued that the state's academic excellence scholarship programme should be reviewed.
He said the current level of financial support no longer provides a meaningful incentive for top-performing students and does little to help attract and retain highly qualified talent in Cyprus.
Politis sought responses regarding the issues highlighted in the Audit Office report from both IKYK and the institution's new chairman. No response had been received by late Thursday.
