The Greek educational system has undergone significant changes and modernisations during the
1990's.
Primary Education
* Δημοτικό Σχολείο (Demotic School or Primary School)
** Year 1, age 6 to 7
** Year 2, age 7 to 8
** Year 3, age 8 to 9
** Year 4, age 9 to 10
** Year 5, age 10 to 11
** Year 6, age 11 to 12
Secondary Education
* Γυμνάσιο (
Gymnasium - Middle / Secondary School)
** Year 1, age 11 to 13
** Year 2, age 13 to 14
** Year 3, age 14 to 15 (end of compulsory education)
* Λύκειο (
Lyceum - High School)
** Year 1, age 15 to 16
** Year 2, age 16 to 17
** Year 3, age 17 to 18
Tertiary Education
Tertiary education in Greece takes one of two forms:
* Technological Education Institute (Technologiko Ekpaideftiko Idryma - TEI
Τεχνολογικό Εκπαιδευτικό Ίδρυμα)
*
University - Highest education institute (Anotato Ekpaideftiko Idryma - AEI
Ανώτατο Εκπαιδευτικό Ίδρυμα).
** Polytechnic (
Πολυτεχνείο), equal to a University. The most notable example is the National Technical University of Athens, which is also famous because of the students' uprising in November 17,
1973 against the Greek military junta.
Private Education
* There are public and private
dimotika (primary education),
gymnasia (middle school; secondary education),
lykeia (high school; secondary education). Some of them are for foreigners, usually children of British or American families. For example see American Community Schools.
* Public and private
IEK.
* Private universities and colleges (Laboratories of Free Studies, Ergastiria Eleutheron Spoudon), often franchises of foreign universities, sometimes non-profit organizations. For example see the University of Wales, Bangor, Mediterranean College, Deree College, etc.
Vocational Education
* Technical Vocational Educational School (Techniko Epagelmatiko Ekpaideftirio - TEE)
* Vocational Training Institute (Institouto Epagelmatikis Katartisis -
IEK).
OEEK is the government organisation which oversees these institutes.
* Private EES schools often offer seminars and 1-year vocational programmes, usually for Computing or Business studies. Young Greeks can seek private vocational education using the computer software products
Eurofasma and
Kefaleo (Capital).
Obsolete Institutions
* Technical Vocational Lyceum (Techniko Epagelmatiko Lykeio - TEL)
* Technical Vocational School (Techniki Epagelmatiki Scholi - TES)
* Unified Multidisciplinary Lyceum (Eniaio Polykladiko Lykeio - EPL)
Current issues
The foremost topic of debate in recent years has been
anagnorisi (
αναγνώριση "recognition"): Private universities are forbidden by the 1975 constitution. Numerous private institutions, often franchises of European and American universities such as the University of Indianapolis and the State University of New York, are operating as EES schools (also known as Laboratories of Liberal Studies, LLS).
Nea Dimokratia (New Democracy), the Greek conservative right political party, claimed in the most recent elections that it will change the law so that private universities will be recognized, a move opposed by the then-ruling PASOK. Without official recognition, students who have an EES degree are unable to work in the public sector. PASOK did taken some action after EU intervention, such as the creation of a special government agency which certifies the
vocational status of certain EES degree holders, but not the
academic status. The issue of full
recognition is still a debate among Greek politicians. A new constitutional amendment proposed in December
2005 is expected to end this debate by allowing the function of non-profit private universities.
Greece does not recognize three-year university degrees. Students who completed a Bachelor's degree in a foreign country find it difficult to find employment in the public sector, unless they next obtain a Master's degree.
References
* Anastasios Giamouridis and Carl Bagley,
Journal of Modern Greek Studies, vol. 24, No. 1, "Policy, Politics and Social Inequality in the Educational System", May 2006, pp. 1-21.
* Education Research Centre - Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs,
The Greek Education System. Facts and Figures (Supervision: Prof. V. Koulaidis. Compiled by C. Papakyriakopoulos, A. Patouna, A. Katsis & S. Georgiadou), Athens, 2003. (ISBN 960-541-106-7)
** Κέντρο Εκπαιδευτικής Έρευνας,
Το Ελληνικό Εκπαιδευτικό Σύστημαˑ Συνοπτική εικόνα σε αριθμούς, Αθήνα, 2003. (ISBN 960-541-108-3)
http://www.ypepth.gr/docs/to_elliniko_ekpaideutiko.zip (accessed June 1, 2006)
*
Greek Educational System: The Implementation of the ICT in the Greek Curriculum in Compulsory Education, IACM/FORTH, November 2003
http://promitheas.iacm.forth.gr/i-curriculum/Assets/Docs/NatReports/Greek%20Report.pdf See also
*
Greece* List of universities in Greece
*
Education* Education by country
External links
*
Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs **
The Greek Education System *
The Education Research Centre of Greece *
Private Universities in Greece , comprehensive list with further information on the situation.
*
i-Curriculum Project Category:Greece
Greece
Category:Education in Greece
