Global Development Education

at national level

Ministry of Education & Culture

Republic of Cyprus

Cyprus context

• Crossroad of civilisations (geographically)

• Recent independent Democracy (1960)

• Violent ‘division’ of the island (since 1974)

• Recent migration (Central Europe, Asia, Arab countries)

• Strong and deep democratic tradition– Strong power of the political

parties– Week civil society

• History of consecutive occupations / colonisations– Multi-cultural heritage– Strong Greek identity– Strong European identity

• Violent separation of the two main communities

• Major demographic changes in the areas non under the control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus

• Reflected within schools– Special programmes for

integration of students– civic education

Global Development EducationMain activity

• Global Education Week within the

Global Education Programme

• Other programmes on relevant issues

i.e. EDC – HRE (CoE)

Global Education WeekWho is coordinating today?

• Ministry of Education & Culture (MOEC)

• OELMEK (Secondary Education Teachers Union)

Global Education in Cyprus

The Ministry of Education & Culture“Global Education Week”

Since 1999

History of the participation:• 2 pilot schools-secondary education, 1999 - 2002• Increased number of secondary education schools interested• Teachers Union involvement in 2003• Peer Review Process “Global Education in Cyprus”, GENE, 2004• Coordination by the head office of the MOEC since 2004 II 2006• GEW is announced to all schools since 2007

How we coordinate?

• A Committee for GE - members from all sectors(Since September 2008)

engagement & responsibilities & cooperation & more ideas

• Coordination by the Permanent’s Secretary Officedecision making process

• Important information to the Minister of E&C

• Dissemination of information and announcement of special activities

Web page www.moec.gov.cy

• Direct communication with schools

How is the structure?

716teachers

11.597students

319Preprimary

Schools

4.166teachers

52.558students

349PrimarySchools

Primary EducationType Title Here

27.530students

71Gymnasiums

6.229teachers

23.962students

49Lyceums

&Adult schools

SecondaryEducation

774teachers

5.794students

13TechnicalSchools

VocationalEducatione

Ministry of Education & CultureWeb page

Circular letters

What does a centralized educational system means?

Information from the Ministry

arrives immediately to…

803 schools

121.441 students

11.885 educators

What does this mean forGlobal Education Week?

• Announcement of the GEW at the beginning of the school year

• Immediate information about activities and actions in all schools

• Collecting data from schools for the evaluation (evaluation form in the web-page)

Why GEW 2008 was more important than the previous years?

• Organization structure

• Webpage (kind of information)

• Liaison with other programs – earned experience (especially EYID 2008)

• Promotion - special campaigns & activities

• Beginning of a cooperation - synergies– CyprusAid– Other national authorities - services (i.e.PIO)

– Civil Society – especially the NGDOs

Liaison with the EYID 2008

Cyprus NCB: Ministry of Education & Culture common theme - school year objective

• Take advantage of the structures formed for the EYID 2008 (synergies & good practices – wider body)– To use the media (i.e.CBC - national media sponsoring)– To cooperate with the civil society (ie Wider Body, Anna Lidht

Foundation network, local authorities, diverse organisations)

• Take advantage of the whole discussion on ID within schools and within the society– To involve sensitized people in GEW– To connect GEW with already existing issues and activities

Example: Research project on xenophobia

78%

14%

8%NAIOXI

Students’ opinionsDo you accept to share your deskwith a student from another country

Yes: 78%No: 8%

School with Greek & Turkish Cypriot students

Example: Research project on xenophobia

Parents’ opinions

2%

62%

36%

Do you mind if students from other countries study in the same school with your children

NO: 62%YES: 36%

Why there is so much distancebetween the parents’ and the students’ opinions?

Where was GEW within the EYID 2008?

A. The Week took place in different ways in a great number of schools

B. Special focus on “Global Solidarity”Two actions where announced on the theme

“Intercultural Dialogue and Global Solidarity”

1. Creating photos

2. Creating a short movie No prices - awards

Solidarity

Help!

We are all equal

Come with me

Stop poverty

Intercultural Dialogue and Global Solidarity

Let us live…

Intercultural Dialogue and Global Solidarity

Intercultural Dialogue and Global Solidarity

Intercultural Dialogue and Global Solidarity

Education

•for equal opportunities for all

•for a multi-cultured society

•for peace in the world

•against racism

•for human rights for all

•for happy-healthy youth

global interdependence

global interdependence

Involving a multi-cultured group of students at school

Involving a multi-cultured group of students at school

Implementing GE issues & methodology in the classroom

What we do more with the produced photos and movies…?

Decision through developed synergies

Ministry of Education & Culture

CyprusAid

Civil Society• NGO support centre• NGDO platform

Commonactions

What has been already done?• Meeting - presentation – sharing (MOEC, CyprusAid, NGDOs, October 2008)

• First Teachers Training Seminar (MOEC CyprusAid, FWC, January 2009)

• An draft plan for further cooperation was decided (March 2009)

What is CyprusAid?

Development Cooperation Service of the Governement of the Republic of Cyprus– Ministry of Foreign Affairs,– Ministry of Finance – Planning Bureau

Development aid in 3 sectoral priorities

1. Infrastructure development

2. Social and services sectors

3. Environment

What kind of projects?

1. Development Projects through “Delegated Cooperation”Project countries: Autonomous Palestinian Territories, Egypt, Lebanon, Lesotho, Mali and Yemen

Projects related to education• Construction of a boarding house for girls studying in the Sekonyela

High School in Mokhotlong, Lesotho (in partnership with Irish Aid)

• Refurbishment of 4 schools in the areas of Botha-Bothe in Lesotho (in partnership with Irish Aid)

• “Early Childhood Education Enhancement” in Egypt (in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme)

2. Short term & long term scholarshipsStudents from 15 countries

Partnership for awareness raising in Cyprus

• Study Visit to Hungary Delegation: representatives of the Government of the Republic

of Cyprus and the Civil Society

• Regional Conference (November 2008)

“Serving the Citizen: Promoting NGO-Public Sector Partnership”

• Conference: M. Richelle Koos (DG Europaid) - May 2009 in cooperation with the European Commission Representation– Workshop for policy makers– Seminar for school students

Partnership for awareness raising in Cyprus

• Reform of the legal and regulatory framework affecting NGOs in Cyprusin cooperation with the UNDP-ACT programme

The whole legislation reform and modernization

through a participatory process will contribute to

the development of a climate of trust between the

Government and the Civil Society and will ensure

transparency and compliance with the rules of

good governance.

Actual situation of NGOs

• A great number of humanitarian associations – organisations

• Week civil society in terms of Development Education

• Recent development: NGDO platform (2008)• Future World Centre• Ecognosia• NGO support centre• Cyprus Family Planning Association• Meditteranean Institude of Gender Studies• Volunteers Doctors – Cyprus• Index Research Centre• Cardet• Laona

Projects with schools directly

Need of cooperation-partnershipwith national authorities

Draft plan for cooperation between MOEC & CyprusAid (& NGDOs)

• CyprusAid information materials in all schools

• Training programs for different stakeholders, involving the civil society

• Booklet for students– CyprusAid goals & activities & …– Global development education issues – MDGs (booklet distributed by the EIC)– Information by NGDOs

• Posters with students photos

• CDs with produced films

• Production-distribution of the game “food force” (WFP) for GEW 2009

• Cooperate with the NGDOs on specific proposals

• …

How we may take advantage from existing & new structures ?

– to set-up a strategy for Global Development Education, via partnership

Or even

– to draw a framework for a strategy

Or at least

– to improve our practices and to have more impact on specific target groups&

– to set-up new projects

human resources

Important structures within the Educational Reform

Teachers’ UnionsParents’ AssociationsStudents’ UnionsUniversities’ RepresentativesInspectors Trade UnionPolitical Parties

Councils forEducation

ScientificCouncil

MOEC

Consultative processCouncil of Education: representatives from the

main political parties

Council of Ministers

Parliament

Dec

isio

n m

akin

g pr

oces

s

Important momentum within the Educational Reform

• Central Committee for reforming the Curricula

• Thematic Committees for reforming thematic areas of the Curricula

• New books & educational materials according to the new curricula

From the GE programmeto a GE policy

Global Education Recommendation+

Global Education Guidelines+

Consensus on Development Education+

White Paper on ID

challenge

Thank you for your attention…

www.moec.gov.cyMinistry of Education & Culture, Republic of Cyprus