The perceptions of high-level officers in Cyprus about intercultural education and their underlying assumptions

Abstract

Since 2004, the Ministry of Education and Culture in Cyprus has launched an educational reform. The Ministry highlighted Cyprus’ participation in the European context and, by extension, the turning-into-multicultural character of the Cypriot society as the most important reasons, which necessitated such a reform. This paper seeks to examine the perceived curriculum of intercultural education in Cyprus. To this end, we explore how the conceptual and theoretical framework of the ‘new’ national curriculum influences key stakeholders’ understandings of intercultural education. Do they share similar understandings? Do they use the same terminologies? How consistent is their knowledge with the contemporary literature on Intercultural Education? All these questions will help us establish an understanding about the next level of curriculum development – the implementation level – and illuminate their possible tacit assumptions concerning the role of the teachers in carrying out of the declared policy on Intercultural Education. Most importantly, we will discuss the tacit assumptions that come to light through their expressed perceptions, addressing not only to the practises but also the essence of the term intercultural education and its originating interest in terms of human agency.

Within this context we will deliberate how a broadly accepted policy, namely intercultural educational policy, becomes a vehicle that can be used to control, interact with or empower people and in particular those delegated with its implementation-in our case the teachers.

Keywords:

• curriculum
• curriculum development
• government policy
• curriculum innovation

Notes

1. Grundy (1987) argues that Habermas's knowledge-constitutive interests inform three styles of curriculum design: a rationalist/behaviourist ‘curriculum as product’ view of the curriculum revealing the ‘technical’ knowledge constitutive interest; a humanistic, interpretative, pragmatic ‘curriculum as practice’ view of the curriculum, embodying the hermeneutic knowledge-constitutive interest; an existential, empowering and ideological-critical view of the ‘curriculum as praxis’ embodying the emancipatory interest.

2. At this point it is important to point out that within the Cypriot society many objections are raised regarding several government measures dealing with migrants. Objections originate mostly from low-income indigenous population within the Greek-Cypriot community who consider as an oxymoron to have so many government expenditure in migrants, political refugees (Kathimerini, 9.9.2013²) and even in measures and hefty allowances aiming to financially help Turkish-Cypriots (Simerini, 31.08.2011²) at a time when poverty and unemployment are raising within Cypriot families.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christina Hajisoteriou

Christina Hajisoteriou is a researcher in the fields of intercultural education, migration, Europeanisation, identity politics and social cohesion. She received her MPhil in Educational Research from the University of Cambridge, UK. She was also awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by the University of Cambridge, UK.

Lefkios Neophytou

Lefkios Neophytou is a lecturer of Curriculum and Instruction at the School of Education at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. He has also worked as a researcher and a member of the Special Teaching Staff at the University of Cyprus (2005–2009). Before that he worked as a schoolteacher (1999–2004). He attended undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Cyprus (BA in Educational Sciences, 1999; MA in Educational Administration and Curriculum Development, 2004; PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, 2009). His research focuses on curriculum development and instruction, citizenship and teachers' beliefs and emotions.

Panayiotis Angelides

Panayiotis Angelides is a professor and the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. His research interests are in school improvement, inclusive education, school cultures, teacher development and qualitative research methods. His latest book is entitled Pedagogies of Inclusion.