Teachers in Cyprus are frequently securing permanent positions in public schools in their 40s, 50s and even 60s, according to figures released by the Ministry of Education.
Almost two-thirds of teachers appointed to permanent probationary posts between 2024 and 2026 were aged 40 or over, while just 2.2% were under 30.
The figures also reveal that thousands of contract appointments were made over the same period, with the age profile of recruits varying significantly depending on the recruitment list through which they were appointed.
The data were submitted to Parliament by Education Minister Athena Michaelidou in response to a parliamentary question from MP Prodromos Alambritis. They were compiled by the Educational Service Commission and cover appointments made through the two lists used to recruit teachers to public education.
The appointed-candidates list is based primarily on registration dates and candidates’ position in the order of priority, while the eligible-candidates list is linked to an examination system and candidates’ ranking according to their results.
More than 6,700 contract appointments
A total of 6,754 contract teaching appointments were recorded between 2024 and 2026.
Of these, 4,443, or 65.8%, were made through the appointed-candidates list, while the remaining 2,311, or 34.2%, came through the eligible-candidates list.
The largest age group among contract appointees recruited through the appointed-candidates list was 40 to 49, accounting for 2,353 appointments. A further 1,687 appointments went to people aged 30 to 39, while 330 involved teachers aged 50 to 59. Just 24 appointments were made to candidates aged 29 or younger.
The pattern was different for the eligible-candidates list, where the largest group was aged 30 to 39, with 1,480 appointments. This was followed by 459 appointments involving candidates aged 40 to 49.
Younger candidates were also more strongly represented on this list, with 342 appointments going to people aged 29 or under.
Across both lists, 3,167 contract appointments involved teachers aged 30 to 39, while 2,812 went to those aged 40 to 49. A further 357 appointments involved people aged 50 to 59, and 366 went to teachers aged 29 or younger.
Permanent appointments largely go to over-40s
The figures for permanent probationary appointments show an even stronger concentration among older age groups.
A total of 2,692 such appointments were made during the three-year period. Of these, 1,498 were made through the appointed-candidates list, representing 55.6% of the total, while 1,194, or 44.4%, came through the eligible-candidates list.
More than half of all permanent probationary appointments — 1,459 — went to teachers aged 40 to 49. Another 243 appointments involved people aged 50 to 59.
Taken together, 65.6% of permanent probationary appointments went to teachers aged 40 or over.
Meanwhile, 867 appointments involved people aged 30 to 39, while just 59 went to teachers aged 29 or younger, accounting for 2.2% of the total.
Appointments continue beyond the age of 60
The data also record appointments involving teachers aged 60 and over, an age group approaching or already beyond the conventional retirement threshold.
Between 2024 and 2026, 64 permanent probationary appointments were made to teachers in this age group.
A further 52 contract appointments went to people aged 60 or older. Of these, 49 were made through the appointed-candidates list and just three through the eligible-candidates list.
The figures highlight another aspect of the age profile of public school recruitment in Cyprus, with some teachers securing appointments well into their 60s.
Eight in 10 permanent appointees have previous experience
The age at which teachers secure their first permanent appointment does not necessarily reflect when they began working in schools.
The figures show that most permanent probationary appointees had already gained teaching experience before securing their posts.
Of the 2,692 permanent probationary appointments recorded during the period, 2,183 involved teachers with previous service — approximately 81% of the total.
The remaining 509 appointments went to people without previous teaching service.
The figures suggest that, for many teachers, securing a permanent position in Cyprus’s public education system is not the start of their professional career, but a later milestone following years of work in classrooms.
