Greek schools face demographic shifts and new facility openings

The start of the new school year in Greece presents contrasting developments across different regions. In Eordaia, demographic decline is significantly impacting secondary education. The number of student groups in high schools has decreased, with some schools in Ptolemaida operating with only three first-year high school sections compared to previous years when there were up to six.

Despite the shrinking student population, teacher shortages are being addressed. The president of ELME Eordaia, Andronikos Targontsidis, noted that teacher coverage in high schools is approximately 95% and expected to reach 100%, with remaining vacancies primarily in subjects such as Religious Studies, Music, and certain foreign languages.

In Heraklion, Crete, the school year begins with the premiere of the ‘Onaseia’ schools. Following the completion of construction work, the 9th Gymnasium and 10th Lyceum are set to open with modern facilities. Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki is scheduled to attend the opening ceremonies on September 11 to mark the launch of these upgraded educational institutions.