ABSTRACT
Since 1974, Cyprus has been de facto divided into the Turkish Cypriot North (the unrecognized TRNC: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) and the Greek Cypriot South (Republic of Cyprus), separated by a demilitarised zone. On both parts of the island, the place and content of RE and IRE in state schools is a source of conflict. Against this background, this contribution presents (I)RE policy, national curricula, textbooks, and teaching training programmes in the Republic of Cyprus. In addition, attention will be given to IRE in the TRNC, where IRE, conducted under state supervision, is mandatory in primary and lower secondary schools. Recently there has been fierce debate in the North over the implementation of Qur'an courses beyond the formal curriculum; optional RE in secondary schools; and the opening of the first public Islamic school. The chapter ends with some recent trends, initiatives, and future prospects in order to improve IRE in the North as well as in the South.
