Chypre face aux défis de l'intégration scolaire des élèves migrants : entre intentions interculturelles et réalités structurelles Cyprus Facing the Challenges of School Integration of Migrant Students: Between intercultural intentions and structural realities

Abstract

The theme of intercultural education has only recently appeared in Cyprus in scientific research and educational policies. Faced with the multiculturalism of today's Cypriot society and an education system based on a single cultural principle, the intercultural educational model seems to be a response and a remedy to the problems faced in schools. Intercultural education, which aims to free individuals from their ethnocentric perceptions and intolerant prejudices, is particularly targeted at schoolchildren and adolescents, whether indigenous or not, from the majority or minority groups. Our study, based on a survey of ten teachers in public primary and secondary schools, seeks to understand the educational situation in Cyprus regarding migrant students and highlights both the difficulties of implementing intercultural education and the needs for successful schooling and social integration. We wanted to examine the major obstacles encountered by migrant students and their teachers, current educational policies, and areas for improvement. The results show that, despite positive intentions, much remains to be done, as teachers need more appropriate training, students need access to multilingual teaching resources, and initiatives such as language integration classes should be put in place. But beyond technical solutions, better cooperation between schools, local institutions, and families can also make a difference. In short, this article does not merely point out the challenges but also proposes concrete ways to make intercultural education a powerful tool for social inclusion. The introduction of intercultural education in Cyprus is essential. Although the Cypriot government is following the Council of Europe's recommendations to incorporate interculturalism into its education policies, practical and pedagogical implementation reveals, despite clear intentions, the shortcomings of political actions and the limitations of intercultural education. Schools in Cyprus currently lack adequate resources in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and teaching materials. They are also not sufficiently prepared to deal with migrant pupils properly from an educational and psychological point of view. This research has revealed specific problems: the language barrier, the lack of intercultural training for teachers, and the absence of adequate educational infrastructure. These obstacles have a significant impact on the educational and social integration of pupils from migrant backgrounds.