Educational System in Greece

The Greek educational system is governed by laws and administrative deeds like everywhere in Europe. The Minister of national education and religious questions is accountable for educational policies and has the whole responsibility.

Education is required for every child aged between 6 until 15. The formal education is embossed by the specified length of the study, the possible repetition and by the acquisition of a leaving certificate which represents the formal appreciativeness. This diploma (contains marks, qualifications etc.) is compulsorily of every level of education to get moved up in to the next class.

No Geographical Boundaries Concerning Education

Every school gets endorsed by the Board of Education, independent of their locations. Because of specified arrangements by the policies, education reaches every part of Greece even though it belongs to the borderlands. These arrangements follow the aim to reduce and, in the end, to eliminate the high difference concerning education in central and agrarian regions. This is the reason why there is a proposal of every school-type το νηπιαγωγείο (kindergarten,preschool) and το
δημοτικό σχολείο (primary school) to help the children. The type of school depends on how many students attend this school. If there is no school directly in place, the students are taken to their school by charter buses or other suitable means of transportation.There are no expenses to be incurred for the students so that everyone, does not matter if rich or poor, can enjoy a high level of education in Greece.

The Different Steps of Education

The educational system which provides a general education covers 12 years. Compulsery education begins at the age of six years and all the schools are complimentary.
At first, the pupils pass through the primary school for six years and. then for three years the secondary education I. The next step of education is not obligatory and consists of the secondary education II. which takes another three years and this qualification (higher education) allows every pupil to begin a university education at a governmenatl institution (short AEI) or at a college (short TEI). In the last years, one has instituted a degree course. This course leads to the "Master" or a postdoctoral.

Universities in Greece

Especially in the last twenty years, the Greek educational system has been expanded. Now, 22 universities are available for the students. The oldest universities of Greece are polytechnic university in Athens (1836), the "Kapodistrias- University Athens" (Ethnikon kai Kapodistriakon Panepistimion Athinon, 1837), "Aristotelian University Thessaloniki" ((Aristoteleio Panepistimio Thessalonikis, 1925), university "Ioannina" (1964) and the university "Patras" (1964). One of the youngest universities is the distance university of Patras (1998) that supervises about 25.000 students. Many universities offer "free degree courses" and they enables the students an extra occupational study. Also older students have the possibility to study at the university level at the new "Open University" (Elliniko Anoikto Panepistimio, EAP). A lot of students study abroad because they did not get a positive answer for their close study. The induction of the universities is mainly depending on central academic exam. English as the first foreign language, enjoys the most importance. The german language has seen a boost after the order (1992) that pupil have to learn a second foreign language at the secondary school. This is the reason why there has been huge recruitment of new German teachers.
230 primary schools and two secondary schools in Westthrakien with a turkey educational system belong to the "Muslim minority group" since 1950.