Organisation of the

Education System in

GreeceTorino, Nov. 2009

Phases of educationPhases of education

I.I. Pre- primary educationPre- primary educationII.II. Compulsory educationCompulsory education III.III. Post-compulsory educationPost-compulsory education ((upperupper- - and post-and post- secondary levelsecondary level)) I.I. Higher educationHigher education

I. Pre-primary educationI. Pre-primary education• Children aged 4 to 6 years may attend Children aged 4 to 6 years may attend

public or private kindergartenspublic or private kindergartens

• Kindergarten attendance is compulsory Kindergarten attendance is compulsory for for all all 5 year olds 5 year olds

• it remains optional for it remains optional for 44 year olds year olds. .

I. Pre-primary educationI. Pre-primary education• Education and care for children 4 years Education and care for children 4 years

of age and under is provided at child of age and under is provided at child andand//oror at infant centres– the latter from at infant centres– the latter from 6 months of age6 months of age

• Attendance is optional for this age Attendance is optional for this age groupgroup

II. Compulsory educationII. Compulsory education … … for the age cohort 5-15 years, is divided for the age cohort 5-15 years, is divided

into the following levels: into the following levels: • pre-primary pre-primary schoolschool ((5-65-6)) • primaryprimary school ( school (6-126-12))

• lower secondary school (lower secondary school (12-1512-15)) ((γυμνάσιογυμνάσιο))

III. Post-compulsory education(upper secondary level)

general upper secondary schools, (15-18 ), provide general/academic studies (λύκεο)

vocational upper secondary schools, (15-18), combine general education with technical-vocational studies

vocational education training schools, (16-18), offer a two-year course organized according to offer a two-year course organized according to

occupational area, which may extend to three years if occupational area, which may extend to three years if on-the-job training is providedon-the-job training is provided

Evening schools Evening schools :: offer a 4 year part-time course offer a 4 year part-time course forfor

working students from the age of 16 years and upwards. working students from the age of 16 years and upwards.

III. Post-compulsory education ((post-secondary level)

Post-secondary non-tertiary,Post-secondary non-tertiary, vocational training institutes, (18-19)vocational training institutes, (18-19)

((Instituta Epagelmatikis Katartissis-IEKInstituta Epagelmatikis Katartissis-IEK)) They offer 2-4 semesters of initial vocational

training

Organizational Variations and Alternative Structures/Types of

schools 1) Cross-cultural Education Sch.2) Minority Sch.3)3) Ecclesiastical Sch.Ecclesiastical Sch.4) Music Sch. 5) Artistic Sch.6) Physical Education Sch.7) Experimental Sch.8) Special Education Sch.9) Second Chance Sch.

1. Cross-cultural Education Schools

aim: to assist secondary school pupils from

abroad with educational, cultural or instructional particularities to be integrated into the education system

2. Minority Schoolsaim:• to cover the education needs of the Muslims

living in the geographic region of Thrace

• minority lower and upper secondary education schools

• a bilingual (Greek and Turkish) curriculum is implemented

3. Ecclesiastical Schools3. Ecclesiastical Schools

aaimim:: toto educat educatee and train their pupils and and train their pupils and

students by equipping them with thestudents by equipping them with the values of the Orthodox Christianityvalues of the Orthodox Christianity faithfaith

4. Music Schools aimaim ::• to to educate and train pupils who educate and train pupils who

wish to pursue a career inwish to pursue a career in music music

• providprovidee a high level of general a high level of general educationeducation

5. Artistic Schools aim: to encourage and support the interest of

pupils in the Arts and to prepare young people who wish to pursue a career in:

Theatre-Cinema, Dance, Visual Arts

while providing at the same time a high level of general education

7. Experimental Schools

aim at theaim at the:: • practical and pedagogic training of the practical and pedagogic training of the

educationaleducational staffstaff• the experimental application of the experimental application of

programmes and teaching methods programmes and teaching methods • the experimental use ofthe experimental use of textbookstextbooks,,

audiovisuals and other means of audiovisuals and other means of educational technologyeducational technology

8. Special Education Education for students with disabilities

and special educational needs is provided in either mainstream or special schools:

• extends from the preschool years to the age of 23

• compulsory compulsory and and based on a based on a cocoeducation education or integration modelor integration model

Special Education According to the type and degree of According to the type and degree of

disabilitydisability• mainstream schoolsmainstream schools attending either the attending either the

regular classroom with parallel support regular classroom with parallel support or special sections/classesor special sections/classes

• Special Education SchoolsSpecial Education Schools which which cover cover pre-school, primary and secondary pre-school, primary and secondary education levels including vocational education levels including vocational educationeducation

9. Second Chance Schools

• for individuals of 18 years of age or for individuals of 18 years of age or more who have not completed their more who have not completed their nine-year compulsory educationnine-year compulsory education..

Innovative Educational Acts• Key priority:

creation of “Smart schools” i.e. improvement of educational

provision at schools & remedy of long standing school buildings incorporating bio-climatic principles and modern energy practices

Innovative Educational Acts current policies and goals rest on 5 pillars:• Human-centered education• Environmental education • Digital convergence• Multilingualism- promotion of the Greek

language abroad• Arts & Cultural education

Cross Thematic Curriculum Framework of Educational Programmess

• an inter-disciplinary framework is an inter-disciplinary framework is applied in the Compulsory Education applied in the Compulsory Education CurriculumCurriculum

aim:aim: to promote the inter-disciplinary to promote the inter-disciplinary

approach of knowledge through approach of knowledge through methodologies of experience and methodologies of experience and participationparticipation

Higher educationStructure:

Higher education consists of two parallel sectors:

the University sector : • Universities • Polytechnics• Fine Arts Schools• Open University the Technological sector: • Technological Education Institutions

Access to Higher Education

Entrance depends on:Entrance depends on:• the general score obtained by Lyceum

graduates on the Certificate• on the number of available places

(numerus clausus)• on the candidates' ranked preferences

among schools and sections

through national-scale exams!

Administration of Education

The general organization and administration of The general organization and administration of the education system presents the following the education system presents the following hierarchical structure: hierarchical structure:

• Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education• 13 Primary and Secondary Education 13 Primary and Secondary Education

Regional DirectoratesRegional Directorates• Primary and Secondary Education Primary and Secondary Education

Directorates and Offices at Prefectural Directorates and Offices at Prefectural Regional levelRegional level

• School unitsSchool units

General Administration at National Level

• the Ministry of Education oversees the administration of all schools through its Central and Regional Services

General Administration at Regional Level

In the context of administrative decentralization and the reinforcement of the periphery, Administration is exercised:

• at a Regional Level by the Regional Education Directorates

• at a prefectural level, by the Directorates and • the Primary and Secondary Education

Offices, Regional Service Councils & Education Committees

General Administration of Primary and Secondary Education

at Regional Level The 13 Regional Education Directorates The 13 Regional Education Directorates

relate directly to the Minister of Education relate directly to the Minister of Education and consist of the following Departments: and consist of the following Departments: • a.a. Administration, Administration,• b.b. Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Primary Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Primary

Education Education • c.c. Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of

Secondary EducationSecondary Education

Under the Regional Education Directorates come:

• Directorates of Primary and Secondary Ed.• School Advisors of all levels• Regional Training Centers • Diagnostic, Evaluation and Support Centers • Regional Support & Educational Planning Cent. • Environnemental Education Centers • Youth Consulting Centers • Natural Sciences Laboratory Centers • ICT Centers

Ongoing debates and reforms• The most recent reforms have focused on the

modernization of the institutional framework • The National Council of Primary and

Secondary Education convened in March of 2009 with an agenda to conduct a public dialogue leading to proposals on the development of:

• secondary education – with the reform of the Lyceum and the system of entry to tertiary education as priorities.

Thank you for your attention!

Alkistis Zervopoulou Logothetidi

References• Eurydice-Network on Education system and

policies in Europe-EACEA, [online], available at: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/index_en.php

• Ministry of Education, Life long Learning and Religious Affairs [online],available at:

www.ypepth.gr