Corfu schools face 137 teacher vacancies and 6,194 lost hours

The teachers' union ELME Corfu has reported severe staffing shortages in schools on the island, noting 137 teacher vacancies just two weeks after the start of the academic year. These shortages have resulted in a loss of 6,194 teaching hours to date, averaging approximately 3,097 lost hours per week.

The vacancies span both general and special education, affecting various disciplines including philology, mathematics, English, German, physical education, and informatics. Significant gaps were also identified in special education support roles, such as parallel support staff, as well as shortages in school nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, and social workers.

ELME Corfu is calling for the immediate coverage of these needs through the upcoming second phase of substitute teacher recruitment to ensure the basic functioning of schools.