Seventh Conference of European

from all levels of our educational system. A crossroads of nations and civilisations, Cyprus has succeeded in preserving its diversity and cultural identity. Here, according to mythology, the goddess of beauty Cyprian Aphrodite, and the stoic philosopher Zenon, were born. Our ancient poet, Stasinos, continued in the tradition of Homer. The people of this island love freedom and defend democracy. On our land, Xenion Zeus, god of hospitality, continues to live both as concept and as practice. Continuing this hospitable ethos, my compatriotsórganisers of the Conference will see to your pleasant stay on our island. organisers have asked me to elaborate on the topic 'Teacher Training and Quality in Education'. The theme is aptly chosen since quality in education has been a timeless, fundamental concept in every educational system. The great 2 visionary of the European Union, Jan Monet, concisely stated: " If I were to start my efforts for the European Union again, I would not start with a common market, but with a common education. " More recently, Jacques Delors (1996) pointed out that the teachers' role will become continually more significant since they are expected to act as catalysts of change and as agents of mutual understanding among people. Through my presentation I will try to convey the message that the upgrading of teacher education has a direct and positive effect on quality in education. The teachers' role has always been substantial and complex. As early as the 4 th century B.C. Plato underlined the teachers' obligation to activate the mental strengths in the learners and lead them to the discovery of knowledge. Plato is using the famous allegory of the cave to describe man's educational potential on the one hand, and to emphasise the pedagogical responsibility borne by the teacher on the other. He is likening the learner to a chained up prisoner who had always lived in the depths of a cave and is, consequently, not aware of the real world. He only fosters notions of the world created through reflections of shadows which reach the place where he is found chain bound. However, if any one of these prisoners manages to escape and get to know the real world and then leads his co-prisoners out of the cave, he will help them to transform their notions into objective knowledge. This is the task teachers are called upon to bring to a satisfactory conclusion. They …