Greek Education System

Compulsory Education

1. Pre-primary education (4-5years)

2. Primary education (6-12 years)

3. Lower secondary general education (13-15 years)

Post-Compulsory Education

1. General upper secondary

schools (16-18 years)

2. Vocational upper secondary

schools (16-18 years)

3. Post-secondary non-tertiary

institutes-IEK (18+ years)

Levels of Education

Pre-primary education

Children aged 4 years may attend public or private

pre-primary schools (nipiagogeia). Pre-primary

attendance is compulsory for all five-year-old

children; it remains optional, however, for four-

year old children.

Education and care for children under 4 years of

age is provided at child centers (paidikoi stathmoi)

Attendance is optional for this age group.

Municipal/community child centers are run by the

local municipalities and communities.

Primary education(1)

Primary education is provided in primary schools

for children aged from 6 up to 12 years old.

Primary schools are divided into one-teacher, two-

teacher schools etc up to six-teacher schools or

twelve teacher schools, depending on the number

of regular employees.

In all grades of primary school are taught Modern

Greek Language, Mathematics, Arts Education,

Physical Education and Information and

Communication Technology

Primary education(2)

In primary education apart from the typical primary

school there are also other types of schools.

1. Αll-day primary schools,

2. Minority Schools,

3. Cross-cultural Education Schools,

4. School Units of Special Education

5. European School

The all-day primary school was established with

the aim to expand the teaching hours as well as to

cover the needs arising from the contemporary

conditions of the children’s families.

Secondary education(1)

Secondary education is divided into two cycles:

compulsory lower secondary and non-compulsory

upper secondary education. Compulsory lower

secondary education is provided in Gymnasia

while non-compulsory upper secondary education

includes two types of schools: Geniko Lykeio and

Epaggelmatiko Lykeio (Vocational Lykeio).

Compulsory lower secondary lasts for 3 years and

concerns students of 13 to 15 years of age while

non-compulsory concerns students over 15 years

of age.

Secondary education(2)

In secondary education apart from the typical

secondary schools there are also other types of

schools ;

1. Ecclesiastic schools,

2. Minority Schools,

3. Cross-cultural Education Schools,

4. Experimental Schools,

5. Music Schools,

6. Art Schools,

7. Special Education Schools,

8. Second Chance Schools

Secondary education(3)

In parallel with the mainstream schools of

secondary education operate Esperina Gymnasia

(Evening Gymnasia) and Esperina Genika and

Epaggelmatika Lykeia (Evening Genika Lykeia

and Evening Vocational Lykeia).

There are also Epaggelmatikes Scholes

(Vocational Training Schools) operating during the

day only which together with Vocational Lykeia

make up secondary Vocational Education

Post-Secondary education

Post-secondary non-tertiary education in Greece

is mainly organised around, and implemented

through, the operation of Vocational Training

Institutes (I.E.K.) which are post-secondary

education institutions providing formal initial and

further vocational education and training. IEK

graduates can receive a Certificate or a Diploma

of Vocational Training equivalent to that of the

Vocational Lyceum (EPAL) with professional

rights enabling access to the labour market in both

the public and the private sectors.

Tertiary education

Tertiary Education in Greece is public and funded

primarily by the state. It comprises two parallel

sectors: a) the University sector, which includes

the universities, the technical universities, and the

School of Fine Arts, and b) the Technological

sector, which includes the (Higher) Technological

Education Institutions (TEIs).

Admission of students to the above institutes

depends on their performance at nation-wide

exams. Tertiary education in Greece is provided

free of charge

Administration of Education

The administration of primary and secondary

education is conducted hierarchically by:

Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs;

Regional Directorates of Education;

Prefectural Directorates of Primary and Secondary

Education;

Schools.

Regional Directorates of Education(1)

There are thirteen Regional Education Directorates

under the Minister of Education implementing

educational policy and linking local agents to central

services and organizations.

They are responsible for the administration and

supervision of other decentralized services in their

area, as well as for the coordination of local School

Advisors.

Regional Directorates of Education(2)

Each Regional Education Directorate consists of the

following:

1. An Administration Department

2. A Department of Pedagogical Guidance for Primary

Education

3. A Department of Pedagogical Guidance for Secondary

Education

Regional Directorates of Education(3)

The following services come also under the Regional

Directorates :

1. The Regional Further Education Centres (PEK)

2. The Centres of Differential Assessment, Diagnosis and

Support of Special Education Needs (KEDDY)

3. Regional Support and Educational Planning Centres

(PEKESES)

4. Environmental Education Centres (KPE)

5. Pre-Primary, Primary, Special and Secondary

Education Advisors

Regional Directorate of Education of South Aegean Sea

Regional Directorate of Primary and Secondary

Education in the South Aegean Sea is a large public,

non-profit educational organization in Greece which

is responsible for schools, teachers and students in

two Prefectures :

1. Cyclades islands

2. Dodecanese islands

Regional Directorate of Education of South Aegean Sea

It has under its administration in 44 islands of South

Aegean Sea

596 Schools

7072 Teachers

Directorate of Secondary Education in Dodecanese

islands:

102 schools

2000 teachers

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