Education minister hails large families

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou on Wednesday extolled the virtues of large families at the Nicosia district’s “large families’ celebration”.

Speaking to parents who attended the event, she said, “you, dear friends, have ignored the challenges and adversities of our times, choosing to focus on the joy and blessing of having many children.

“Your own families are a brilliant example of human dynamism, which manages to turn difficulty into creative energy, shortcomings into motivation, and every moment into an opportunity for development and the improvement of everyday life.”

She added that the government “recognises the importance of having many children” as well as the financial difficulties that large families may face, and that for this reason, the government has “set as its priority the creation of a family-friendly environment”.

This, she said, entails the “adoption of policies which encourage childbearing, support large families, and offer quality care and learning services to children.”

She pointed to the government’s recent announcement of a support package worth €9.5 million for schoolchildren as evidence of this philosophy, while adding that her presence at the event shows the government is “expressing its immense respect and appreciation for large families’ contribution to our country.”

Directly addressing the parents once more, she said, “with your dedication and selfless offering, you are bright examples for our whole society and contribute the most to building a better future for coming generations.”

“The laughter and voices which flood the space here today, but also our souls, force us to ensure that every child will have the right to a quality and happy childhood,” she said.