GREEK Educational SYSTEM A BRIEF PRESENTATION The Greek

GREEK Educational SYSTEM A BRIEF PRESENTATION

The Greek educational system is mainly divided into three levels:

• Primary education (compulsory) – Kindergarden: 1 -2 years – Primary school: 6 years (ages 6 -12) • Secondary education – Gymnasio (Junior High school): 3 years (ages 12 -15), compulsory – Lykeion (High school or Vocational training): 3 years (ages 15 -18), non compulsory • Higher Tertiary education, undergraduate studies (non compulsory) – Universities (mainly 4 years, 5 in some art schools, and 6 in medical schools) – Polytechnics (5 years) – Technological Educational Institutes (4 years) – Academies, primarily for military & clergy (3 -4 years) Post-graduate education: MSc (1 -2 years), Ph. D (3 -6 years)

• The Primary Education

Primary school, called “Dimotiko” (demotic, meaning municipal), lasts six years • Grading system: − 1 st and 2 nd year: no grades − 3 rd and 4 th year: A to C − 5 th and 6 h year : 1 to 10 • A school-day starts at 8. 15 and finishes from 14. 10 to 16. 15 • The basic teaching subjects − Modern Greek language − Mathematics − History − Environmental studies − Physical education − Religious education (not compulsory) − Music − Arts − English, and a second foreign language (German or French)

• The secondary education

Junior High School and High School 3 grades: 12 -15 Junior High School (compulsory) 3 grades: 15 -18 High School Grading system: 1 -20 (base grade: 10, excellent: 20) At the end of each year, students take written overall exams which are considered in the average grade.

There are 9 types of Gymnasiums and Lyceums in Greece: 1. General (automatic entering from the primary school) 2. Athletic (entering after passing certain exams on a sport) 3. Musical (entering after passing exams on a musical instrument) 4. Art 5. Exemplar (entering after passing certain exams) 6. Experimental (entering after passing certain exams) 7. Church 8. School for students with special needs 9. Foreign language school (entering after passing exams on a foreign language) The foreign language schools are aligned also to the educational system of other countries. Some of these schools, which are private, are: - The American College of Greece - Deutsche Schule (Athens, Thessaloniki) - École Française d’ Athènes - Scuola Italiana - Polska Szkola e. t. c.

The basic teaching subjects − Modern Greek Language − Modern Greek Literature − Ancient Greek Language − Ancient Greek Literature − History − Mathematics Algebra, Geometry − Physics − Chemistry − Biology − Geography − Religion (non compulsory) − English, and a second foreign language German or French − Arts − Music − Physical education − Computer Studies − Technology − Social & Political studies − Scholastic Vocational Guidance − Philosophy − Home Economics − Project − e. t. c.

• The tertiary education

• There also private tutor schools operating alongside the state education and providing supplementary tuition. These parallel schools provide foreign language tuition, supplementary lessons as well as exam preparation courses for the competitive Panhellenic National Exams, a very stressful process, that the students must take to proceed to the Tertiary Education.

• High Tertiary Education is provided by: Universities, Polytechnics, Technological Educational Institutes and Academies • Each year, consists of two semesters. In each semester 4 to 6 lessons are mandatory, and additional non compulsory lessons can be taken. • The grade of each lesson is primarily defined by written final exams, mandatory laboratory tasks, projects etc, depending on lessons subject. Base grade is 5 and excellent is 10 • Every year, approximately 80. 000 students start to attend in public universities, and some more thousands start studies in private colleges operating in Greece as well as abroad.

Some characteristics of Greek educational system • All levels of the Greek Educational system are overseen by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs • Education can be provided by private organizations only in the primary and secondary level. The private schools are also supervised by the Ministry • In addition to public tertiary institutions, private colleges provide undergraduate and post graduate studies collaborating with European Union Universities • All public schools are free of charge, while private schools charge fees defined by the competition • Days/ teaching hours: Monday - Friday/ 8. 15 - 14. 10 to 16. 15 • Teaching session: 45 minutes • Duration of breaks: 5 -10 minutes • Vacation: Christmas 2 weeks, Easter 2 weeks, Summer: July, August, National holidays 28/10, 25/3 and 17/11, 1/5

Education in Greece

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