Private kindergartens in Cyprus face closure

Some non-governmental kindergartens in Cyprus may suspend operations or close entirely. The reason is changes in legislation that came into force in 2024, which, according to sector representatives, made their activities financially unviable.

After the reduction in the age of compulsory preschool education, children began transferring en masse to preparatory classes in public schools. This has particularly affected private institutions catering to children under three years old. No compensation mechanisms or transitional periods for the private sector were provided.

The situation was reviewed by the parliamentary education committee. MPs acknowledged that private kindergartens need support and incentives — similar to private schools and universities — to prevent the closure of small and medium-sized enterprises and loss of jobs.

Representative of the Private Kindergarten Association, Polyvios Polyviou, highlighted three key problems: the outflow of children to public schools, acute staff shortages, and stricter enforcement of legislation on private institutions. He warned that the closure of kindergartens for the youngest children could lead to a shortage of places and difficulties in childcare. Proposed solutions include subsidizing education for children from four years old and allowing preparatory groups to operate in private kindergartens.

The staffing crisis was also discussed: interest in the profession is declining, and public schools, partly through extended-day programs, attract specialists. At the same time, private kindergartens are prohibited from hiring teachers for preparatory classes, even though educators can temporarily substitute for teachers in lower primary classes.

It was also reported that some private kindergartens exited the government subsidy program without notifying parents in advance. As a result, families only learned about this in September and were forced either to pay higher fees or leave their children in the same institutions due to lack of alternatives.