Athens students call for school occupations and protests

The Athens Student Coordinating Committee has called for nationwide student mobilizations, including school occupations, assemblies, and strikes, scheduled for Thursday, October 8. Under the slogan ‘Enough is enough’, students are protesting against several systemic issues within the Greek educational system.

Key grievances include inadequate and unsafe school infrastructure, teacher shortages, and the merging of classes into large groups of 25 to 27 students. Students are demanding smaller class sizes of 15 pupils, safer school buildings, and modern laboratories. They are also calling for improvements to school excursions, ensuring they are safe, high-quality, and free for all.

Economic concerns are also central to the protests. Students are demanding lower prices in school canteens, free snacks, and the abolition of VAT on food items consumed in schools. Additionally, the committee is calling for better student transportation and expressing opposition to proposed changes regarding the National Graduation Certificate, specifically rejecting the implementation of ‘Triple Panhellenic’ exams. The goal of the mobilization is to send a unified message to the government and the Ministry of Education regarding the need for a school system that focuses on substantive education rather than just examination and assessment.