Educational staffing updates and teacher strikes in Cyprus and Greece

In Cyprus, the Educational Service Commission has announced part-time contract appointments to staff Optional All-Day Schools for the 2026-2027 school year, effective October 5, 2026. These appointments are based on educational needs and candidate priority lists. The contracts are set to expire on June 16, 2027. Educators accepting these roles will be ineligible to claim substitute positions in public schools for the specified period, though certain provisions allow for limited substitution work under specific conditions.

In Greece, the Teachers' Confederation (DOE) has declared nationwide strikes throughout October 2026. The industrial action targets teachers who are assigned mandatory overtime to cover staffing shortages in schools. The DOE aims to provide union coverage for educators called upon to take on additional teaching hours, protesting the Ministry of Education's strategy of using mandatory overtime to address school vacancies.