Education and Schools in Greece

The standard of education and schools in Greece is generally considered excellent, with engaged teachers and a low dropout rate.

That said, expat parents moving to Greece are faced with a difficult choice. Public schools in Greece only teach in Greek. Still, public schooling is arguably the most authentic way for expat children to integrate into Greek society and learn the language – all while not paying tuition fees.

On the other hand, many expats elect to put their children in private schools, where they may get a better education, but this comes with a hefty price tag. In the case of English-speaking private international schools, expat children will have an environment closer to what they’re used to at home, but this will entail a degree of isolation from their local peers.

All children between 4 and 15 years old must attend school, and public schooling is tuition-free during these years.

Public schools in Greece

The schooling system in Greece is divided into four levels:

• Early education (nipiagogeio) – ages 4 to 6
• Primary school (demotiko) – ages 6 to 11
• Middle school (gymnasio) – ages 12 to 14
• Senior high school (lykeion) – ages 15 to 17

Government schools do not charge school fees and have traditionally provided free textbooks to students. The Ministry of Education is focusing on introducing digital textbooks to ease the cost burden and also ensure that there are no textbook shortages.

It’s not uncommon for expat and even local parents with children in Greek public schools to spend thousands of euros on private tutors. This is partly due to an inflexible education system which relies on rote memory, and partly to improve their children’s chances in the final exams.

Useful links

• Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports

Private schools in Greece

Greece has one of the highest private school attendance figures in Europe, mostly due to the perception that the quality of private schools in Greece is superior to public education.

While private schools certainly have more autonomy than their public counterparts, they are still supervised by the Ministry, and the medium of instruction in most of them is Greek. For expats who can afford it, Greek private schools are perhaps an effective middle ground between an integrative experience for their children and an education of the highest standard.

Useful links

• Hellenic Independent Schools Association

International schools in Greece

There are several international schools in Greece, most of which are situated in Athens, with a few in Thessaloniki. These schools offer foreign or international curricula, typically taught in the language of their country of origin (often English). International schools typically offer globally recognised curricula like the International Baccalaureate, American, and British programmes, making them a great choice for globally mobile families.

You’ll find that many expats favour international schools because they allow children to continue with a familiar curriculum in their home languages. Fees differ between schools, but are generally high and tend to increase as children progress. Although fees are high, these schools typically provide an excellent education, highly qualified educators, and a wide slate of extracurricular activities.

Special-needs education in Greece

Greece’s policies for special-needs education are largely focused on integrating students with special educational needs into mainstream schooling. Depending on the child’s needs, various levels of assistance are available.

Children with mild conditions are kept in mainstream classes with numerous accommodations and extra support from the class teacher. In more severe cases, students with special educational needs in mainstream classes may receive additional parallel support from teachers specifically hired for their expertise in special-needs education.

Should more support be required, special-needs students may be placed into ‘inclusion classes’ in mainstream schools alongside other students experiencing similar difficulties. Inclusion classes are staffed by special-needs teachers and tailored to the students’ needs.

Those unable to attend a mainstream school may attend a special education school, be taught at home, or be educated by a specialised unit within a hospital or institutional setting.

Useful links

• European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education – Greece

Tutors in Greece

Greek parents with children in public schools frequently use tutors to supplement their learning and give their children a better chance of achieving high marks in their exams. You may find tutors helpful in assisting your children adapt to a new language or curriculum.

Some reputable tutoring companies in Greece include Kumon and Ariston IB for international baccalaureate learners. The best bet for finding reputable tutors is to ask for recommendations from your children’s schools.

Useful links

• Kumon
• Ariston IB
• TeacherOn