Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe. Cyprus 2007/08

Overview & Synopsis

This paper focuses on Cyprus's arts and cultural education. The Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for setting the aims for cultural and creative dimensions of education. Decisions about the creation of the curriculum related to culture and creativity within education, as well as the arts curriculum are made at a central level. Cyprus has specified aims for the whole curriculum, which include cultural and creative aims. In general, Greek Cypriot Education aims to help the young generation of children: (1) to absorb the mental, cultural and other achievements of the past; (2) to use all the possibilities of the present; (3) to develop attitudes and skills for acquiring physical and mental health; (4) to move forward toward new achievements in every domain of social activity and maximize their contribution to the development of a better world; and (5) to form internal conditions of permanent empowerment of their struggling morale. This paper contains the following sections: (1) Responsibility and purpose; (2) Organisation and aims of arts education; (3) Special provision with a focus on art education; (4) Assessment of pupils' progress and monitoring of standards in the arts; (5) Teacher education in the arts; (6) Initiatives; and (7) Ongoing reforms and proposals.