PUPILS from all over Cyprus swarmed the grounds of the Cyprus State Fair Authority yesterday morning for a first acquaintance with higher education institutions.
And if you thought that the 15th International Education Fair was a final Lyceum year affair, you could not be more mistaken.
Pupils from all levels of education descended upon the fair in school uniform or their plain clothes.
“We came with our teacher to see the fair,” a nine-year-old girl said.
But aren’t you too young to be here?
“No: I care about my future,” the girl persisted.
Most attendees found the event more helpful than not.
“You can get a taste of how they will treat you if you choose their institution,” a final year Lyceum pupil said.
“I’m trying to decide between studying in the UK or in Greece, so I hope that this even will help me decide,” was another response.
Some had already made up their minds, however.
“I already know that I will be going into IT, so this event is boring for me,” a second year Lyceum pupil said.
An aspiring medical student said that the event was unhelpful because, “I know I want to study medicine in Greece, preferably in Athens.
“Both my parents are doctors and I have always had an inclination to help people in need.”
Boys in their final year seemed more concerned about their imminent drafting into the National Guard, rather than university: “I won’t be applying until next year, so there isn’t much point to being here,” one said.
Others had a short-term outlook: “It’s a day away from lessons, so I’m enjoying it,” a young adult said.
Most expressed their desire to stay in Cyprus or go to Greece to study.
“It’s important that I am somewhere where I am sure I will feel at home,” one said.
“Cyprus is now filled with decent universities therefore I do not see the reason why I should go abroad and burden my parents financially.”
However, there were a few who were willing to go to universities in continental Europe.
“I’ve been to Italy three times already, and I hope to go to Milan to study architecture,” an avid young man said.
“I want to study European Law, and the fact that I have been reading German at the Goethe institute in Nicosia for two years now, makes Germany an ideal location for me,” a young woman said.
WHEREAS foreign university representatives appeared cheerful over the prospects of the Fair, local reaction was dampened.
“This event is generally successful: this is our second year here,” said a representative of the German Embassy at Germany’s stall.
“There is a rise in Cypriots who want to study in Germany.
“Approximately 80 per cent study medicine, while the rest show a preference for engineering type courses.
But what about language constraints?
“Someone who has no knowledge of our language, but wants to study in Germany has to spend one year in our country learning the language.
“After passing exams, they can enrol in the German-speaking institution they desire.”
Cypriot students could be found “throughout Germany, although one of the most frequent questions we get here at the fair is ‘Where are the other Cypriots in Germany?’” he added.
The representative of the Universit? Fran?ois-Rabelais in Tours, France, also said that those who do not know the language can attend intensive courses before they join university.
“In Tours we pride ourselves in speaking ‘pure’ French: this is a tradition of central France.
“We try to integrate the foreign students by touring them around the country so that they can become familiar with it.
She added that, “ten per cent of our student body are from foreign countries.
“This is the second time we are here: we have an exchange programme in Law with Cypriot institutions via the ERASMUS initiative.”
A representative of the University of Nicosia told us that, “although it is not necessary, we’re here every year.
“This event is not very successful for us since pupils already know us.
“It as an advertising opportunity, more than anything else.”
She affirmed, however, that it was the pupils who decided what their career paths would be, not their parents: “Those times are long gone: the decision rests solely with the pupil.”
STILL haven’t figured it out?
Not to worry, the computer software programme Career Gate Test K.17 (CGT) will sort you out.
The test contains no less than 334 questions and groups occupations in 17 sections.
Once a pupil’s one or two categories have been found, these are further broken down into more specific categories so as to pinpoint one’s career path even more accurately.
If the results fall under a threshold of consistency, they are considered invalid.
“It can distinguish between environmental influences and what the pupils really want,” Assistant Director in the Counselling and Career Education Service Terpsia Constantinou said.
“In no way should it be construed as a panacea”, she warned.
“First and foremost it is a tool which aims to help pupils think about their future.
“It is reliable because it contains self-checking mechanism which can detect whether the pupil is answering the questions consistently.
“We’re very happy with the results of the programme,” she stated.
CGT has been in operation for two years in Lyceums and Technical Schools across Cyprus, while there are plans to make it available to final year Gymnasium pupils.
The costs of the programme are shared equally between the Education Ministry and the EU.
Constantinou said that those who want to use the CGT can go to the Education Ministry and ask to do so.
