Fields “Parent 1” and “Parent 2” Removed from Student Registration Forms in Cyprus

A controversy recently arose in Cyprus over the inclusion of “Parent 1” and “Parent 2” fields in student registration forms, sparking backlash from parents. The controversial terms have since been removed. However, the Ministry of Education clarified that this was a translation error and not related to LGBT issues.

The issue began when parents noticed that the electronic registration system (eDEA) used “Parent 1” and “Parent 2” instead of the more traditional “Father” and “Mother.” Further frustration arose when Greek Cypriots were referred to as a “religious minority” in the same forms. In response, the Ministry of Education promised to amend the problematic sections to address these concerns.

According to the Phileleftheros newspaper, the inclusion of “Parent 1” and “Parent 2” was due to a translation mistake when converting terms from English to Greek. These terms were part of the system's original framework, designed by its developers. The Ministry has since removed these fields from the registration forms.

Minister of Education Athena Michaelidou explained that the terms did not refer to the parents’ gender but rather their sequence in completing the form. For example, if a student’s mother filled out the form, she would be identified as “Parent 1,” and the father would be “Parent 2,” or vice versa.

Regarding the “religious minority” label, the Ministry clarified that it was another mistranslation, stating the intended term was “ethnic affiliation.”

The eDEA registration system, developed in alignment with European education standards, is still in its pilot phase. The Ministry of Education has already revised several terms within the system.

It’s worth noting that registration for first-grade students in public primary schools for the 2025–2026 academic year was conducted electronically from January 7 to 19, 2025.

From January 23 to 26, 2025, parents and guardians will have the opportunity to submit transfer requests, following approval notifications from schools regarding their initial registrations.