THE GREEK EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

SEPTEMBER 2010

GENERAL

Formal education is characterized by a fixed length of study, repetition and – when finishing – a degree which is officially recognized by the Greek State

The classification of educational institutions include the need for proof of degree (baccalaureate, diploma, etc.) of the previous level of study in order to pursue to the next level

It is a grid of complicated, multilevel and diverse educational services

EDUCATION IS :

Obligatory for all children among 6 – 15 years old (that is the Primary School and the lower Secondary School)

Children ‘ s school life may begin at the age of 2,5 years old (pre – primary education) in nursery schools (public or private)

Post-compulsory Secondary Education, according to the reform of 1997, including two school types: unified upper secondary schools and the Technical Vocational Schools. Attendance last three years at Lyceums and two years (study) or three years (course) in the Technical Vocational Education and travel are not mutually exclusive from one school to another

STAGES/ TYPES

Special kindergartens, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary classes for pupils with special educational needs

Music, Sports and Religious High Schools Vocational Training Institutes are also included in

post – compulsory education and provide formal but unclassified level of education ( the reason of that is that they accept both high school and lyceum graduates, depending on the particular specialties they offer )

Public higher education is divided into Higher Educational Institutions and Technological Educational Institutions. Students are admitted in these institutions depends on their performance in national examinations taken in the second and third grade of lyceum

Hellenic Open University was founded in 1992 and its students are admitted from the age of 22 years old after a draw

Private schools in all educational levels

STAGES/ TYPES

Minority schools (enter all students whose parents are Muslims, residents of the area where the school is located and want their children to attend those schools )

Cross - cultural schools (for foreign, repatriated, Roma and expatriate pupils )

Special Schools ( for people with special educational needs, aged between 4 – 22 years old )

STAGES/ TYPES

Adult Education Centres ( their educational programs address to all adult citizens, 18 years and over )

Second Chance Schools ( for citizens 18 years and over who have not completed compulsory lower secondary education )

STAGES/ TYPES

The following diagram outlines the structure of the Greek Educational System as established by institutions of formal, classified and unclassified education.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT & LEARNING ATMOSPHERE

The last years there have been great efforts in order to modernize the whole educational system

New material, new books and a whole new way for teachers to teach and approach pupils

Emphasis and priority is given to the student

BUT: It seems that from the first years of attending

students are being prepared for the exam nationwide and membership in a senior or higher education…

AS A CONCLUSION

Children become especially competing to one another

Getting used in “chasing” good grades (sometimes with the cost of losing the real meaning of learning)

If someone does not “make it to the end” that may lead to another excluded group called

“ FAILED”

Thank you