Education in Greece today

A small revue

The Greek educational system is mainly divided into three levels, a) primary,

b) secondary and c) tertiary

with an additional post-secondary level providing vocational training via specified Institutes (I.E.K and S.E.K.).

Primary education is divided into kindergarten lasting one or two years, and elementary school spanning six years (ages 6 to 12).

Secondary education comprises two stages: I. Gymnasio (variously translated as Middle or Junior High School), a compulsory three-year

school, after which students can attend II. Lykeion (an academically oriented high school) or EPA.L (vocational high school)

Higher Tertiary education is provided by a) Universities and Polytechnics (A.E.I),

b) Technological Educational Institutes (A.T.E.I.) and c) Academies which primarily cater for the military and the clergy.

Undergraduate courses typically last 4 years (5 in polytechnics and some technical/art schools, and 6 in medical schools), postgraduate (MSc level) courses last mainly 2 years and doctorates

(PhD level) from 3 to 6 years.

All levels are overseen by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs. The Ministry exercises centralized control over state schools, by prescribing the curriculum, appointing staff and

controlling funding. Private schools also fall under the mandate of the Ministry, which exercises supervisory control over them.

An elementary school class in northern Greece build of stone some 60 years ago

All levels of education are catered for by both private and public schools. State-run schools and universities do not charge tuition fees and textbooks are provided free to all students.

There are also a number of private tutors schools, colleges and universities operating alongside the state education and providing supplementary tuition. These parallel schools (Greek:

φροντιστήριο, frontistirio) provide foreign language tuition, supplementary lessons for weak students in secondary education as well as exam preparation courses for the competitive

Panhellenic national examinations for entering Universities etc..

Students and teachers during the morning gathering

Primary education

1) Kindergardens are the first level of primary education and refer to pupils aged 4 to 5.

2) Elementary Schools which are called "Dimotiko" (demotic, meaning municipal), a carryover term from a time when such schools were run by local communities and are compulsory education, divided in six classes/years", from first to sixth, respectively for ages 6 to 12

In the first two years pupils are not officially graded, and parents obtain feedback about their performance via oral communications with teachers. Grading begins in Year 3, and written exams

are introduced in Year 5. Graduating from one year to the next is automatic, and pupils with deficient performance are given remedial tutoring.

Pupils of a music school in Chania, Crete holding

traditional and modern music organs.

A normal school-day starts at 8.15 and finishes from 14.00 to 16.15 depending on the school. The school year always starts on September 11 and ends on June 15. The students have summer vacation (about 3 months), Christmas vacation (2 weeks) and Easter vacation (2 weeks). Furthermore, students take usually another two days off in order to celebrate their two national holidays (28/10 and 25/3).

Basic subjects include: Modern Greek Language and Literature, Mathematics, Environmental Studies , Physical Education Music, Art, Theatrical Studies, English, Physics, Geography , History, Religion, Social & Political Studies

Typical elementary school class in Greece during lunch brake

Secondary education

Γυμνάσιο (Gymnasium - Middle School)

which is compulsory education and is divided in three classes respectively for students aged from 12 to 15 years old.

A normal school-day starts at 8.15 and finishes at 14.10. The school year always starts on September 11 and ends on June 30 including written exams during the last month (mid-May to Mid June). The

students have summer vacation (about 3 months), Christmas vacation (2 weeks) and Easter vacation (2 weeks). Furthermore, students take usually another two days off in order to celebrate their two

national holidays (28/10 and 25/3).

One should mention that there is a certain number of Gymnasiums that are open only during the evening, from 19.00 to 22.30, especially for students that work during the day and have the same

curriculum as the day-schools.

The neoclassical building of the Venetokleion Gymnasium in Rhodes

dates back to 1909

There are 7 types of gymnasiums in Greece:I. General Gymnasium (entering there from the primary school is automatic)II. Athletic Gymnasium (to enter this type of school students must pass certain exams on a sport)III. Musical Gymnasium (to enter this type of school students must pass exams on a musical instrument)IV. Art GymnasiumV. Experimental Gymnasium (to enter this type of schools students must pass certain exams)VI. Church Gymnasium VII. Gymnasium for students with special needs

Basic subjects include: Modern Greek Language and Literature, Ancient Greek LanguageMathematics, Environmental Studies , Physical Education Music, Art, Theatrical Studies, English and a second foreign language, Physics, BiologyGeography , History, Religion, Technology and Computer Studies,Home EconomicsProject

The historic Zosimaia School (nowadays Gymnasium in Ioannina) in Western Greece, in neoclassical

architecture, built in 1828.

Secondary education

Λύκειο (Lyceum - High School)

which is non compulsory education and is divided in three classes respectively for students aged from 15 to 18 years old.

A normal school-day starts at 8.15 and finishes at 14.10. The school year always starts on September 11 and ends on June 30 including written exams during the last month (mid-May to Mid June). The

students have summer vacation (about 3 months), Christmas vacation (2 weeks) and Easter vacation (2 weeks). Furthermore, students take usually another two days off in order to celebrate their two

national holidays (28/10 and 25/3).

Exactly as it was mentioned for Gymnasium, there is a certain number of Lyceums that are open only during the evening, from 19.00 to 22.30, especially for students that work during the day and have the

same curriculum as the day-schools with an addition of an extra 4th class, which means a duration of four years instead of three in order to graduate.

An photo of the students of a modern Lyceum in Greece just before the school year

ends

There are 7 types of Lyceums in Greece:I. General Lyceum (entering there from Gymnasium doesn't require exams)II. Vocational Lyceum (entering there from Gymnasium doesn't require exams) III. Musical Lyceum (to enter this type of school students must pass exams on a musical instrument)IV. Art LyceumV. Experimental Lyceum (to enter this type of schools students must pass certain exams)VI. Church Lyceum VII. Lyceum for students with special needs

Basic subjects are almost the same as in High School although more detailed: Modern Greek Language and Literature, Ancient Greek Language,Mathematics, Chemistry,Physical Education Theatrical and Art Studies, English or another foreign language, Physics, Biology,Economics,Political Sciences,Sociology,History, Religion, Computer Studies,Project

Students of the 53rd High School

of Athens visiting the National

Archaeological Museum of

Athens

Students attending the second class of the General Lyceum, besides the compulsory lessons, should choose between 2 Orientation Groups: the Humanities and Science Studies in order to

pave the way to the Panhellenic Exams.

Students attending the third and final class of the General Lyceum, besides the compulsory lessons, should choose between 3 Orientation Groups: the Humanities, the Economical and

Science Studies, which necessitate certain extra lessons.

As mentioned above, the students must take the Panhellenic national Examinations to proceed to the Higher Tertiary education. These exams are held after the students have received their

Apolytirion (the main school-leaving certificate for secondary education). The students pass into a specific Higher Educational Institute based mainly on the Orientation Group chosen.

A modern day Lyceum building in Athens

As far as the vocational education is concerned they share many similarities with the Lyceum in terms of the division of classes and the daily program. Nevertheless, a student that chooses the so called

“Epaggelmatico Lykeio”, attends many lessons of technical issues like Technology, Mechanics, Hydraulics etc. instead of Humanities, Social studies or Sciences.

Graduates from the vocational education have also the right to enter Technological Educational Institutes (A.T.E.I.) and also can acquire a license to work in the field of their study in the job market.

Secondary education school in the Greek countryside

Other post – secondary and non compulsory education includes private or public Vocational Training Institutes (I.E.K. and S.E.K.). Students that attend these kind of Institutes doesn’t have

the right to enter the Higher Tertiary education, but can acquire a license to work in the field of their study in the job market, enhancing their graduate title they had acquired in Lyceum.

Feeling confident while writing on the board!

Tertiary education

Higher Educational Institutes are consisted of two parallel sectors: 1) the Universities and Technical Universities (A.E.I.) and

2) the Technological Educational Institutes (T.E.I.).

In addition, colleges collaborating with foreign universities can offer undergraduate and postgraduate foreign programs of study in Greece, under the proper registration with the Greek

Ministry of Education. Usually, these programs are provided following franchise or validation agreements with universities established in other European Union countries or the USA, leading to degrees which are awarded directly by those universities. In some cases these institutions are

wholly owned and operated branch campuses of foreign institutions.

The 19th-century University of Athens historic building designed by Christian Hansen. It was once the only University building but now serves as a ceremony hall and rectory.

Studying in the Universities or the Technological Educational Institutes requires a success in the nationwide “Panhellenic” Exams taking place every year at the end of the school year in which

only students of the senior classes of Lyceum or graduates of past years can take part.

Students during “Panhellenic” Exams in May – June. These exams mark the high note of the 12 years education for almost every student and its family

All the Higher Tertiary state-accredited universities in Greece are public. The duration of the undergraduate degree programs for most disciplines is 4 years (full-

time). Programs in engineering, dentistry, pharmacology, agronomics, forestry, along with some

programs in fine arts, have a duration of 5 years. Medicine is the only discipline with a duration of

studies of 6 years.

All the Higher Tertiary state-accredited Technological Educational Institutes in Greece are public.

Technological Educational Institutes were initially established in 1983. They currently offer a 4-years (full-

time) undergraduate degree programs equivalent to Honours Bachelor's Degree and since 2008 they are also allowed to run on their own postgraduate that

lead to a Master's Degree and PhD programs.

The military, police and ecclesiastical Academies and the military, maritime and touristic Schools offer

higher education with 4 or 2 years of studies and their graduates are equivalent to the graduates of

universities. However, they operate under different terms from the universities and among other

differences they have is that they are not allowed to run graduate programs on their own.

Students of the Metsoveion Technological University protest with passion against the

military dictatorship of Greece in 17 November 1973 in a day that is celebrated

as a school holiday since then.

These are the Universities and Technological Universities of Greece

Agricultural University of AthensAristotle University of Thessaloniki Athens School of Fine ArtsAthens University of Economics and BusinessDemocritus University of Thrace Harokopio UniversityHellenic Open UniversityInternational Hellenic UniversityIonian UniversityNational and Kapodistrian University of AthensNational Technical University of AthensPanteion University of Social and Political SciencesTechnical University of CreteUniversity of the Aegean University of CreteUniversity of IoanninaUniversity of MacedoniaUniversity of PatrasUniversity of PeloponneseUniversity of PiraeusUniversity of ThessalyUniversity of Western Macedonia

The Ionian University in Corfu

These are the Technological Educational Institutes of Greece

Advanced Technological Educational Institute of Athens

Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki

Higher School of Pedagogical and Technological Education

Technological Educational Institute of ChalkidaTechnological Educational Institute of CreteTechnological Educational Institute of Epirus

Technological Educational Institute of the Ionian Islands

Technological Educational Institute of KalamataTechnological Educational Institute of KavalaTechnological Educational Institute of LamiaTechnological Educational Institute of Larissa

Technological Educational Institute of Western Greece

Technological Educational Institute of PiraeusTechnological Educational Institute of Serres

Technological Educational Institute of Western Macedonia

Students wait for the course to begin

These are the Academies and Schools of Greece

Hellenic Military AcademyHellenic Naval Academy

Hellenic Air Force AcademyMilitary School of Corps Officers

Military Nursing SchoolHellenic Police AcademyHellenic Fire Academy

Ecclesiastical Academy of AthensEcclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki

Ecclesiastical Academy of VellasEcclesiastical Academy of CreteAcademy of Mercantile Marine

The following schools require only 2 years of studyHellenic Army School of Non-Commissioned Officers

Hellenic Air Force Academy of Staff Non-Commissioned Officers

Hellenic Air Force Academy of Technical Non-Commissioned Officers

Hellenic Air Force Academy of Air Navigators School of Police Constables

School of Chief Firemen School of Tourism Education of Rhodes

School of Tourism Education of Agios Nikolaos Students of the Hellenic Military Academy during the parade of the National Holiday

Another quality production (hehe) of

Mrs. Lambroupoulou Elisabeth

Mrs. Pappa Helen

worldwide famous teachers of the 53rd High School of Athens

Bonus pic “for your eyes only”

Modern greek art all the way down the West Coast!