At top level, the responsibility for adult education and training is distributed between two (2) Ministries:

1.     Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports.
2.     Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

The Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports is the main competent body for:

•     Formal and non-formal adult education
•     Lifelong learning
•     Youth education and training
•     Liberal education
•     Volunteering.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is the competent body for policies:

•  ensuring decent and sustainable conditions for work and contributing to tackling social exclusion

•  the integration of the unemployed and socially vulnerable groups  into the labor market

•  developing policies for integration into the labor market

• promoting stable and full-time jobs

• creating a safety net for vulnerable groups

Bodies under the competence of the Ministry of Education

The Secretariat General for Vocational Education and Training and Life Long Learning to the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, as reorganized by l. 4763/2020, is the mainly responsible Secretariat for Adult Education and Training. Its mission is planning, coordinating, supervising and assessing  policies, actions and programs  in the field of vocational education and training and lifelong learning, without discrimination and exclusions.  The reform aims at:

1. providing the country’s human resources with the current qualifications, adapted to the real needs of the labour market
2. increasing employment with quality job placements
3. better organizing the competitiveness of the Greek economy 
4. reinforcing  citizen’s  personal development and their upskilling
5. ensuring rights and equal opportunities for all young people for their smooth integration into the educational, social and economic life.

External bodies supervised by the MInistry of Education and relevant to vocational education and training and lifelong learning are:

1.     The National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) implements the national Accreditation & Certification System for non-formal learning, including Initial and Continuing Vocational Training; it provides scientific support to vocational guidance & counseling services both at national and local/regional levels.
2.     The Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation (INEDIVIM), aims at realizing acts, programs and projects for Life Long Learning and Youth; it supports young people’s educative and professional pathways  and mobility, bringing out and reinforcing innovation and mobility; it manages issues related to student care.  Finally, INEDIVIM acts as the national agency for implementing and monitoring the Erasmus+ program (jointly with the Hellenic Foundation for State Scholarships-IKY). 

Policy priorities are mainly set by the following laws:

1. L. 3879/2010 which placed emphasis on Life long learning, includes all provisions for life long learning and adult education currently in force.
2. L. 4763/2020, which attempts a wholistic reform of vocational education and training and lifelong learning on the basis of three focal points:
   1.  the common planning of vocational education and training and life long learning,
   2.  linking vocational education and training and life long learning with the real needs of the labour market,
   3. upgrading the provided vocational education and training.

         The above mentioned law established a National System of Vocational Education and Training (ESEEK), which is developed at levels three (3), four (4) and five (5) of the National Qualifications Framework (Framework), corresponding to those of the European Framework Qualifications. The main objective of this law has been to further enhance and upgrade the general education provided for adult learners in second chance schools (SDE) and centres for Lifelong learning (KDBM). To achieve this purpose  the National System for VET was established so as to redesign the regulatory framework and the forms of inputs and outputs of vocational education and training thus improving the knowledge, abilities and skills of the country's human resources; to help the working force more effectively adapt and respond to the ever-changing needs of society and the labor market. 

   3. Law 5082/2024 further strengthens the National Vocational Education and Training System by a) expanding the cooperation between vocational education and training and b) helping to improve synergies between different levels of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The ultimate aim as mentioned above, being to upgrade knowledge, abilities and skills of graduates and ensure the smoother integration of young people into society and economy.

Bodies under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security defines policy directions based on governmental policy priorities, as they are specified (prioritization of target groups and programs) and linked to the guiding principles for employment that have been adopted by the Council of Ministers of Employment. 

The bodies involved in the process of planning and implementing employment policies are:

• The Public Employment Service (DYPA) (l.4921/2022), that is an external body supervised by the MInistry of Labour
• The Directorate for Inclusion in Employment (General Secretariat for Working Relations, Ministry of Labour and Social Security)
• Sub-Directorate I for Employment, Social and Solidarity Economy and Social Innovation 
• Special Service NSRF (Executive Structure Partnership Agreement) of the Ministry

L. 4921/2022 modernises the former manpower organisation, transforming it into a flexible european employement service.  The ultimate policy objectives of the law are in short:

•  faster and more effective re-integration of the unemployed into the labour market; 

• the rewarding of unemployed people who take initiative and action for becoming employed; 

• the upskilling of the country's manpower; 

• reform, 

• coordination and connecting employment training with economy; 

• utilisation of european resources for quality training; 

• reinforcing connectivity of skills with the labour-market and ultimately

•  filling job vacancies.

The main policy objectives of DYPA are:

a) implementation of the government policy to strengthen employment and combat unemployment,

 b) caring for the unemployed, and in particular of vulnerable social groups, through policies such as insurance against unemployment, assisting in the search for jobs, facilitating integration or reintegration into the labor market and training. 

c) caring for workers and especially for special categories of the workforce, by means of providing allowances or other benefits and programs

d) implementation of government policy on vocational education and training and the development of skills of the workforce, to reinforce its connection with the labour market.

e) monitoring labour market needs and the interface with businesses, 

f) implementation of government policy for the workforce and their families  as well as for the country's youth, regarding their housing assistance and protection and other forms of support for them such as grants, subsidies, financing or other benefits and programs.

g) development of social, touristic and cultural activities for the benefit of the workforce and their families

Adult education and training is provided through formal and non-formal learning providers, such as:

•     General adult education
•     Vocational-oriented programmes
•     Lifelong learning programmes within higher educational institutions.

Finally, regional and local authorities offer non-formal learning opportunities (Chapter 8.3 Main Providers).