Early childhood education and care (ECEC)

Municipal child, infant and infant/child centres are the ECEC settings operating as public law legal entities in municipalities or as a municipal service, according to the regulation of operation prepared and issued by the local authorities concerned. The governing body of these centres is either the board of directors of the public law legal entity  or the municipal council, in case the centre operates as a municipal service.

Early childhood and school education

SChool leadership in primary and secondary education schools is undertaken by the school head (or the school supervisor), the deputy school head and the school teachers' board.
Laboratory Centres (EK), that function in schools, are school units with an autonomous organisational structure. Lab centres administration bodies are:

1. the school head,
2. the deputy school head,
3. the teachers responsible for labs, and
4. the teachers responsible for directing laboratories.  

Although administration of school units is conducted in the same way in both primary and secondary education, the following variations are observed:

• Primary education - pre-schools (Kindergarten)

Leadership in pre-schools (kindergartens) is undertaken solely by the school head or the school supervisor.

• Primary education - primary schools

A school head is appointed to primary schools where at least 4 teachers are employed. In primary schools with up to three teachers employed, the person placed in charge is one of these teachers.  A deputy school head is also appointed in primary Schools, employing at least 10 teachers. 

• Primary and secondary education - appointment of a deputy school head

1. A deputy school head is appointed in primary and secondary education schools with more than 120 students. In schools with more than 270 students, a second deputy school head is also appointed.
2. A deputy school head is appointed in special education schools (SMEAE) with more than 30 students.  In SMEAE with more than 80 students, a second deputy school head is also appointed
3. A deputy school head is appointed in each Laboratory Centre (EK) of more than 250 students of vocational upper secondary schools (EPAL) operating on a day, afternoon and evening basis. There is one lab center per two vocational upper secondary schools.

• Responsibilities

According to ministerial decision Φ.353.1./324/105657/Δ1/8-10-2002, as amended and in force, the school head or the school supervisor is at the top of the school community and carries administrative and pedagogical responsibility. The school head or the school supervisor cooperates with educational coordinators, management executives, teachers, pupils/students and parents for the joint achievement of educational goals.
In particular, the school head or the school supervisor:

1. Directs the school community to set high goals and ensure the conditions for their achievement creating a democratic school, open to society.
2. Supervises the teachers and coordinates their work; collaborates with them equally and in a spirit of solidarity; maintains and enhances the unity of the school teachers' board, encourages teachers’ initiatives, inspires and motivates them positively.
3. Represents the school in all its relations with third parties.
4. Is responsible for the school’s smooth operation and coordination of school life.
5. Implements laws, presidential decrees, regulatory decisions, circulars and official mandates of management executives and is responsible for compliance with them; s/he implements the decisions of the school teachers' board.
6. Promotes, in cooperation with the school teachers' board, the director of primary or secondary education and educational advisors, the operation of additional teaching support, remedial teaching, reception classes, tutorial classes, all-day schools and other educational innovations.
7. Sets up committees for examinations, collection of supporting documents, issuing of results and any other committees provided for the school’s operation.
8. Draws up evaluation reports on the teaching and administrative staff.
9. Informs teaching staff, parents and students on the school’s educational policy, objectives and work.
10. In secondary education, apart from the responsibilities mentioned above, the school head further updates and keeps the files about the changes of the school’s teachers' employment status; s/he is responsible for collecting and sending data on salary payment of the school’s staff to the Directorate of Education.
11. If more than one deputy school heads have been appointed to the school, the school head allocates responsibilities and tasks to them and decides which one will serve as the school head’s legal substitute.
12. Takes every measure which contributes to the school’s optimum operation.

The deputy school head replaces the school head and helps him/her in his/her daily work. S/he assumes some of the school head’s responsibilities, so that the school head can deal with the school’s educational work without distractions.

The school teachers' board is a collective body composed of the teachers working for the school, regardless of their employment status.  It is chaired by the school head or the legal substitute. The school teachers' board is responsible for establishing guidelines for the optimum operation of the school. Decisions issued by it always comply with the education legislation.  Furthermore, it is responsible for implementing the curriculum and daily timetable, supervising students, keeping school areas clean and organising the school.
Provisions in effect determine specific responsibilities for primary education school teachers' board, secondary education school teachers' board and EK teachers' board.
At local level, the administration of schools is exercised by the relevant Directorates of Primary and Secondary Education, respectively. These directorates are headed by Primary and Secondary Education Directors who supervise, guide and coordinate the work of schools.
At regional level, the administration of education is performed by the relevant Regional Directorates for Primary and Secondary Education, respectively. Regional Directorates are headed by Regional Education Directors who monitor, coordinate, control and supervise the work of the Directors of Education and schools.
At central level, the administration of education is carried out by the administrative services and the advisory and scientific councils operating at the Ministry of Education. For the administration of education at central, regional or local level, detailed information can be found in Chapter 2 "Organisation and Governance", in particular in the sections 2.6 Administration and Governance at Central and/or Regional Level and 2.7 Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level.

Requirements for appointment

Early childhood education and care

a) Board of directors

The board of directors of each municipal child and infant/child centre is also its governing body and is composed of 5-15 members, who, along with their substitutes, are appointed by the municipal council.
The board of directors is composed of the mayor, municipal councilors and citizens or residents who have relevant professional and social experience or specific expertise related to the objective of these centres. Additionally, where there are more than 10 employees working for the legal entity, the board of directors appoints an employees’ representative, along with his/her substitute. The selection procedure is carried out at a special assembly in which all the employees participate.  Chairman of the board is the mayor or another member elected or not, designated by the mayor. One of the members of the board of directors is elected as its vice-chairman.
Legal impediments
Individuals who:

• have been deprived of managing their property,
• have been deprived of their civil rights or
• have been convicted as perpetrators or accomplices to a felony or to misdemeanors such as forgery, bribery, blackmail, fraud, etc.

are not allowed to be elected as members or be members of the board of directors.
Service - discharge from duties
The municipal council decides on the term of office of the members of the board of directors.  The service ends with the placement of the new board.  By decision of the municipal council members of the board of directors may be replaced during their service on serious grounds as regards the exercise of their duties.

b) Municipal council

The municipal council is one of the administering bodies of municipalities.  It is a collective body in which elected municipal councilors participate.  The number of the members (13-49 members) depends on the municipality’s population.  The distribution of seats is carried out in proportion to the percentage each political faction obtains in the municipal elections.
Service
The term of office of the members of the municipal council is for 4 years starting on January 1st of the year following the year of the elections and ends on December 31st of the fourth year. 
The Code of Local Authorities, as amended and in force, determines all the matters with respect to the electoral procedure, eligibility requirements, legal impediments and incompatibility.

Early childhood and school education

Public education teachers are chosen for public management posts of primary and secondary education according to selection lists. Upon call for applications, the teachers having the essential qualification requirements and wishing to take part in the selection procedure are invited to submit an application accompanied by the required supporting documents within a specific time period.

Requirements for appointment as an education officer (school head)

According to Law 4823/2021 the requirements for the election to the position of education officers are the following:

1.  teaching service of at least eight (8) years; and
2.  certified knowledge of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) A' level.

If a position of a school head at a certain level of education is claimed, out of the eight (8) years of compulsory teaching service of case (a), four (4) at least should have been served at the relevant level of education.

Especially in special education schools (SMEAE) apart from rgeneral teachers, members of the Special Educational Staff (EEP) can also be selected as school heads as long as they have at least 12 years of educational service and 8 years of support service, of which at least 4 years must have been served in a similar type of SMEAE with the post to be filled.
More specifically:

1. Teachers of all specialisations serving in primary education can be candidates for the posts of primary school heads.
2. Primary teachers occupying a permanent post in special vocational education and training laboratories (EEEEK) can be candidates for the post of primary school head if they fulfil the qualifications required.
3. Pre-school teachers can be candidates for the posts of pre-school heads.
4. Teachers of specialisations serving in secondary education (University and Technological Educational Institution -TEI graduates) can be candidates for the posts of school heads of secondary education schools (lower secondary schools - gymnasia, upper secondary schools - lykeia - GEL, vocational upper secondary schools - EPAL).
5. Teachers of specialisations serving in EK (University and TEI graduates) can be candidates for the posts of Laboratory Centres (EK) school heads.

Regarding applications for the posts of school heads in special education schools (SMEAE) candidates must be teachers specializing in Special Education (EAE) and members of the Special Education Staff (EEP), as following:

For the posts of school heads in special education primary schools (EAE), candidates can be:

1.  permanently employed teachers of all specialisations serving in primary education and
2.  members of Special Education Staff (EEP), as long as they meet the requirements for appointment and placement in SMEAE and have completed a teaching service of at least four (4) years at a Special Education primary school.

• For the posts of school heads in special education primary and secondary schools (EAE) candidates must:
  1. be teachers permanently employed in public schools of secondary or primary education and
  2. be members of Special Education Staff (EEP), as long as they meet the requirements for appointment and placement in SMEAE and 
  3. have completed a teaching service of at least four (4) years at a Special Education School (SMEAE) of the relevant level of education.

For the posts of school heads in special education pre-schools (EAE) candidates must be pre-school teachers meeting the requirements for appointment to and placement in SMEAE with at least 4 years teaching experience in special education pre-schools.

For the posts of heads in schools for the deaf, hard of hearing and blind students, candidates must be:

1. teachers or members of the Special Education Staff (EEP) of all of the above cases of SMEAE, as long as they have certified knowledge of the Greek Sign Language (ENG) or the Greek Braille Script (E.G.B.), respectively, or
2. teachers who meet the requirements of all the above cases and occupy a permanent post in a school unit for deaf, hard of hearing or blind students, having served in it for at least four (4) years.

Candidates for the posts of school heads in the following types of schools can be:

• Intercultural primary education schools: teachers holding a foreign language title, preferably of the country of origin of the majority of students, B2 level at least.
• Experimental and model schools: teachers of primary or secondary education that:
• have the qualifications required for the posts of the school heads in the other schools of the respective level,
• out of the four (4) years of the compulsory teaching service at the relevant level of education, they have spent at least twelve (12) months in an experimental or model school, occupying a permanent post or a position of tenure and
• hold a doctorate or postgraduate specialization.

Requirements for appointment as supervisors in pre-schools and primary education schools; Deputy school heads in primary and secondary education schools; Deputy heads in lab centres and teachers responsible for lab sectors

1. Teachers who serve at the time of selection at a permanent post in the school unit the selection concerns, can be selected as heads in two-teacher and three-teacher primary schools and preschools.
2. Teachers who serve a term of office at the time of selection in the school unit the selection concerns, can be selected as heads in two-teacher and three-teacher experimental primary schools and preschools.
3. If the candidate teachers of the school unit do not meet the requirements of the eight-year teaching service, the four-year teaching service in the relevant level of education or the certified ICT knowledge-Level 1, then candidates may also be teachers with a shorter teaching time or without certified ICT knowledge, respectively.

• In addition, for the selection of deputy school heads or teachers responsible for EK sectors, candidates must: 

1. be of a sector or specialisation required for the EK and
2. serve at the time of selection at a school unit cooperating with the EK and have served in an EK for at least two (2) school years, either as management staff or as teachers, with a schedule of at least eight (8) teaching hours per week.

• In special education schools (SMEAE), teachers and members of the Special Educational Staff (EEP) who serve at the time of selection a permanent post in the SMEAE the selection is for, can be selected as deputy school heads.
• If the candidate teachers or members of the EEP of the school unit do not meet the requirements of the eight-year teaching service, the four-year teaching service in the relevant level of education or the certified ICT knowledge-Level 1, then candidates may also be teachers with a shorter teaching time or without certified ICT knowledge, respectively.

Selection criteria for school heads in primary, secondary education school units and lab centres

Candidates are ranked in corresponding lists based on the total number of points (up to 45 points) accrued according to the following criteria:

1.  scientific and pedagogical training,
2. teaching, counselling-mentoring and administrative-supporting experience,
3. evaluation,
4. personality and general conduct.

In addition, the following criteria are also evaluated:

• the candidate's ability to take initiatives, demonstrate a cooperative attitude and solve problems, especially teaching, administrative, organisational and operational ones,

• the candidate's contribution to creating the proper pedagogical environment, as well as

• the candidate's ability to organize or participate in the planning and implementation of educational actions.

Conditions of service

Early childhood and school education

Selection of school heads for primary, secondary education schools and lab centres

School heads in primary and secondary education schools and school heads in Laboratory Centres (EK), are placed in vacant posts and posts that fall vacant, according to their ranking in the final list and their preferences for the vacancies announced, by decision of the Director of Education, following a proposal of the competent Local Selection Council.

Selection of supervisors in pre-schools and primary education schools, deputy school heads in primary and secondary education schools, deputy school heads in EK and teachers responsible for EK sectors

Supervisors in two-teacher, three-teacher pre-schools and two-teacher, three-teacher primary schools are placed by decision of the Director of Education, following a proposal of the competent Local Selection Council.

Deputy school heads in primary and secondary education schools, deputy school heads in EK and teachers responsible for EK sectors, are placed in schools by decision of the Director of Education, following a proposal of the competent Local Selection Council.

Service

The selection and placement of the above education officers is for a four-year term, starting with the placement and ending on July 31 of the fourth year.

The selection and placement in posts that become vacant is for the remainder of the current term.

Discharge from duties

By decision of the competent Director of Education, upon consent of the competent service council, education management staff may be discharged from exercising their duties:

• For serious personal, family or health reasons, upon request, or
• On serious grounds due to inadequate exercise of their official duties after being called to be heard before the council.

Education management staff are not allowed to take an educational leave for postgraduate or doctoral studies, unless they have previously been discharged from exercising their duties upon request.

Transfers - placements of education management staff after leaving office

Education management staff may be transferred as teachers during their term upon request, in accordance with the provisions governing teachers' transfers.  In this case they enter service in their new post after the expiry of their term.
After expiry of their term, if not reselected, they return to their permanent posts or to the school they have been transferred to.  If the above positions have been abolished, they are placed in vacancies in schools of their preference in the same Directorate of Education.

Salaries of school heads, supervisors of pre-schools and primary education schools, deputy school heads and teachers responsible for lab sectors

Salaries and monthly payment for school leadership is regulated by l. 4354/2015 as amended and in force, and further described in Chapter 9.2 Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education   According to the same law, school heads and supervisors receive an additional monthly allowance for holding a position of responsibility defined accordingingly in law 4823/2021.

Concerning the salaries of school heads of primary and secondary education school units, more specific information can be found in the report of the European Eurydice Network “Teachers' and School Heads' Salaries and Allowances in Europe 2021/22”.