THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF GREECEGREECE

By Catherine, Persa, Marilena, By Catherine, Persa, Marilena, Helen and AdamandianaHelen and Adamandiana

KINDERGARTEN KINDERGARTEN Dear friends,Dear friends, First of all we must tell you that your letters were First of all we must tell you that your letters were

fantastic and it was nice to hear from you.fantastic and it was nice to hear from you. Now we will tell you about the kindergarten Now we will tell you about the kindergarten

education here in my country. We’ll start telling you education here in my country. We’ll start telling you that the kindergarten education wasn’t obligatory in that the kindergarten education wasn’t obligatory in the past, but now it is.the past, but now it is.

PRIMARY EDUCATIONPRIMARY EDUCATION

When a little child is 2-4 years old it When a little child is 2-4 years old it goes to the nursery school and goes to the nursery school and when it is 4-6 years old it goes to when it is 4-6 years old it goes to the infant school. There in the the infant school. There in the nursery or in the infant school the nursery or in the infant school the little children try to learn to write little children try to learn to write their names and some small, easy their names and some small, easy words. All the day the children draw words. All the day the children draw with their markers or their water-with their markers or their water-colors and their paint-brushes and colors and their paint-brushes and the rest of day they play with their the rest of day they play with their toys.toys.

SECONDARY EDUCATIONSECONDARY EDUCATION The nursery teacher or the The nursery teacher or the

infant teacher tries to read infant teacher tries to read them some fairytales and them some fairytales and stories from the past. Of stories from the past. Of course the children who go course the children who go to the nursery or the infant to the nursery or the infant school have no homework!!! school have no homework!!! After the kindergarten After the kindergarten education the children go to education the children go to the “big school” as they call the “big school” as they call the primary school. the primary school.

At noon they eat their lunch At noon they eat their lunch all together and they talk all together and they talk about toys, about friends and about toys, about friends and about fairytales sometimes.about fairytales sometimes.

The primary school lasts The primary school lasts 6 years. It’s a place 6 years. It’s a place where childrenwhere children

learn the basics, make learn the basics, make friends (some of them friends (some of them may last a whole life), may last a whole life), and learn how to react and learn how to react and to behave to the and to behave to the older people. The get older people. The get prepared for the things prepared for the things will follow in their later will follow in their later life, they start to create life, they start to create their personality. They their personality. They also learn how to work all also learn how to work all together. Boys and girls together. Boys and girls can be such a team and can be such a team and the members of this team the members of this team will always face all the will always face all the problems together.problems together.

The Primary school is usually a big The Primary school is usually a big building with a lot of classes and a building with a lot of classes and a big yard. Each of its classes is clean big yard. Each of its classes is clean and bright and their students are and bright and their students are always happy. They learn about our always happy. They learn about our country’s civilization, history, religion country’s civilization, history, religion and our customs. They became and our customs. They became aware of the future and of the aware of the future and of the problems of Greece because some problems of Greece because some day they will be the men and the day they will be the men and the women who may rule this place.women who may rule this place.

SECONDARY EDUCATIONSECONDARY EDUCATION

This school consists of three classes, for 3 This school consists of three classes, for 3 years. At the first class pupils embroil in years. At the first class pupils embroil in those programs at the lessons: ancient those programs at the lessons: ancient greek, biology, language, literature greek, biology, language, literature (Modern Greek), math, geography, (Modern Greek), math, geography, household economy, music, texts, Homer, household economy, music, texts, Homer, religion, gym, physics, art, technology, religion, gym, physics, art, technology, computers, history, and different foreign computers, history, and different foreign languages like French, German etc. But languages like French, German etc. But the children have to attend English lessons the children have to attend English lessons at beginners or elementary level as well. at beginners or elementary level as well.

At the second class the lessons change and at the third At the second class the lessons change and at the third class there aren’t lessons like geography and class there aren’t lessons like geography and technology but there are new lessons like Euripidis’ technology but there are new lessons like Euripidis’ ‘Helen’ and Schooling Profession which help them for ‘Helen’ and Schooling Profession which help them for their future. As far as I am concerned I believe that the their future. As far as I am concerned I believe that the computer data professing, which occupied with computer data professing, which occupied with computers it is mainly for the economy in our country. computers it is mainly for the economy in our country. The lessons stop at the end of May and for a month The lessons stop at the end of May and for a month (20-25 days) the children are taking exams. After of (20-25 days) the children are taking exams. After of these exams the students take their notes and if they these exams the students take their notes and if they have pass the class they take the suitable diploma. have pass the class they take the suitable diploma. Those children are free to choose what they like to do Those children are free to choose what they like to do when they finish school and start their own career (job). when they finish school and start their own career (job). They also have the opportunity not to study for the High They also have the opportunity not to study for the High School (called likeio here in Greece) which follows School (called likeio here in Greece) which follows because it’s simply not obligatory.because it’s simply not obligatory.

HIGHER EDUCATIONHIGHER EDUCATION

In Greece students pass the Kindergarten, In Greece students pass the Kindergarten, the primary and the secondary school. the primary and the secondary school. After that, they enter to the higher After that, they enter to the higher education. They spend four to six years education. They spend four to six years there, depends on the profession they there, depends on the profession they want to follow in the future. want to follow in the future.

Many students enter Many students enter university every year. university every year. But first they need to But first they need to take exams. Before that take exams. Before that on the fifth class of on the fifth class of secondary school (our secondary school (our Likeio) they take the Likeio) they take the direction they want. direction they want. There are three. Each There are three. Each of them has six lessons of them has six lessons according to the job according to the job they like which are they like which are taken for two years. On taken for two years. On the last class of this the last class of this school, at the end of the school, at the end of the year they are examed year they are examed to these six lessons. If to these six lessons. If they pass they enter to they pass they enter to university, they go to university, they go to private colleges or they private colleges or they go to Technological go to Technological Education Institutes.Education Institutes.

On the other hand, some Greek On the other hand, some Greek students study abroad. This happens students study abroad. This happens because they want to have more because they want to have more experience, to graduate there or they experience, to graduate there or they go because they want to take go because they want to take postgraduate. postgraduate.