Greek school directors warn of mass excursion cancellations due to new regulations

The Panhellenic Scientific Association of Primary Education School Unit Directors is calling for urgent revisions to a new ministerial decision regulating school excursions and educational trips in Greece. The Association warns that the current framework creates excessive administrative burdens that could lead to mass cancellations of student trips.

Key proposals to simplify the process include implementing a single procurement procedure at the start of the school year to select transport providers for all day trips, rather than requiring new tenders for every visit. Additionally, the Association suggests that for day trips under 35 kilometers, mandatory on-site police inspections at the point of departure should be replaced by an electronic submission of necessary documentation to the Traffic Police.

Other requested changes include the creation of a central or regional registry for transport providers and travel agencies, the use of standardized electronic templates, and allowing for a second didactic visit within the same month when justified by the teaching staff. The goal is to maintain student safety guarantees without forcing educators to manage technical, licensing, and inspection tasks that fall outside their pedagogical duties.