Greek school closures due to demographic decline

Educational institutions across various Greek regions are facing closures and mergers due to declining student populations and staffing shortages.

In the Peloponnese, a government decree ordered the temporary suspension of 26 primary education units—including 19 kindergartens and 7 elementary schools—for the 2026–2027 school year. These closures, affecting prefectures such as Argolis, Arcadia, and Messenia, were recommended by the Regional Director of Education due to zero enrollments or insufficient student numbers.

In the Epirus region, the Regional Directorate of Education has suspended 33 units, comprising 11 primary schools and 22 kindergartens, across Ioannina, Arta, Thesprotia, and Preveza. In Ioannina, 11 units will close, while Arta faces the largest impact with 13 suspended units. This trend of demographic decline is also impacting Western Greece, leading to the permanent closure of Ampelokampos Primary School in Elis and the merger of the 19th Primary School of Patras with the 6th Primary School. In Aetolia-Acarnania, several kindergartens are being integrated into remaining active units.

On the island of Gavdos, the primary school and kindergarten will not open for the upcoming school year due to a total lack of preschool and primary school-aged students. Mayor Lilian Stefanaki clarified that the suspension is not a permanent closure but a result of the absence of eligible children, noting that if a family with school-aged children moves to the island, procedures will be taken to reopen the school immediately. The teacher previously serving the island has been reassigned to mainland Crete.