Compulsory education in Greece

Compulsory education in Greece includes:

• Two-year compulsory attendance for 4-year-olds in nipiagogeio (pre-primary school). 
• Six-year attendance of pupils in dimotiko scholeio (primary school).
• Three-year attendance of students in gymnasio (lower secondary education school).

The penal code foresees sanctions to anyone having the custody of an underage pupil and failing to enroll him/her or supervise his/her school attendance.

Formal education system

The formal education system in Greece includes:

• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Second Chance Schools (SDE)
• Post lower secondary vocational education and training, level 3 
• Post-secondary vocational training, level 5 
• Higher education

Primary education

Primary education consists of:

• Nipiagogeio (pre-primary school). Two-year attendance is compulsory for 4-year-old children.
• Dimotiko scholeio (primary school).  It lasts 6 years.

There are single type of all-day pre-primary and single type of all-day primary schools.  They may be public or private.

Secondary education

Secondary education includes two cycles:

• The first one is compulsory and corresponds to gymnasio (lower secondary school).  It lasts 3 years.
• The second one is optional and refers to lykeio (upper secondary school) – general and vocational.  It lasts 3 years.

They may be public or private.

Second Chance Schools (SDE)

SDE are public and target persons aged 18 years or older, who have not completed the nine-year compulsory education and hold the primary school leaving certificate. Attendance lasts 2 years. 

Post lower secondary vocational education and training, level 3

It is provided in:

• Vocational training schools (ESK)
• Vocational apprenticeship schools (EPAS) of the Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) 

Attendance lasts 2 years and includes grades A and B. Holders of the lower secondary school graduation certificate, or equivalent, can enroll in grade A, without exams. ESK can be public or private, day or evening. EPAS are public.

Post-secondary vocational training, level 5

It is provided in:

• Vocational training institutes (IEK) 
• Post-secondary cycle of studies - apprenticeship class 

IEK provide initial vocational training to graduates from upper secondary schools, i.e. general upper secondary schools (GEL), vocational upper secondary schools (EPAL), as well as holders of equivalent certificates/degrees. Vocational training lasts 4-5 semesters. For EPAL graduates and holders of equivalent vocational certificates or degrees, vocational training may last 2-3 semesters. ΙΕΚ may be public or private.

Post-secondary cycle of studies - apprenticeship class provides initial vocational training to graduates from upper secondary vocational schools, or holders of equivalent certificates or degrees, who have a basic level of knowledge, skills and competences. The post-secondary – apprenticeship programme lasts 11 months.

Higher education

Higher education comprises the:

• University sector:

1. Panepistimia (universities)
2. Technical universities
3. The Athens school of Fine Arts (ASKT).

• Technological sector:

1. Technologika ekpaideftika idrymata (technological educational institutes - TEIs)
2. The School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPETE).

Both sectors are only public. It is noted that technological education institutions (TEI) have merged with higher education institutes (AEI).

General adult education

General formal adult education is included in general formal education and is provided in:

• Second chance schools
• Evening general upper secondary schools
• Evening vocational upper secondary schools.
• Vocational training schools (ESK)
• Vocational apprenticeship schools (EPAS) of OAED
• Vocational training institutes (IEK)
• Post-secondary cycle of studies - apprenticeship class

Non-formal adult education is offered in an organised educational framework outside the formal education system. It is provided in:.  

• Lifelong learning centres (KDVM)
• Colleges

KDVM may be public or private. The entire duration of the training programme is determined according to its topic, the intervention purpose as well as the participants’ profile.

Colleges are private and target graduates of formal upper secondary education.

Further information is included in the chapters describing the particular level and/or type of education. The diagram of the Greek educational system is available in the Overview.

Home education

Home education is provided to primary and secondary education students only in case of:

• Severe short-term or chronic health problems, not allowing for pupils transport and school attendance.
• Disability and /or special educational needs, making it difficult to attend schools in the mainstream educational system or in integration classes.

Home education is not provided to students of the following grades:

• B and C of day vocational upper secondary school (EPAL)
• B, C and D of evening vocational upper secondary school (EPAL)
• B, C and D of the upper secondary school (lykeio) of single special vocational lower and upper secondary schools.

Students with serious mental illnesses are also eligible for the category of home education. A three-member committee is appointed for each school year by decision of the Minister of Education to examine these special requests for home education.

Approval procedure

Parents request for authorization to the relevant directorate of primary or secondary education.  They submit a recent medical assessment, in which the period of residing at home is indicated, authorized by a public pedagogical medical service or a public health committee.

The head of the directorate decides on the approval and calls for expressions of interest, inviting educators of the respective level who teach in the schools of the prefecture.  Formal teaching qualification is requested.  Home education is necessarily provided by teachers qualified in special needs education, following a diagnosis-consultation by the respective Inferdisciplinary Assessment, Counselling and Support Centres (KEDASY). Distance learning can also be used.

Assessment

Pupils/students taught at home are assessed by participating in oral and/or written placement, written progression or school-leaving examinations organised by their school according to the education level.

• Primary school pupils take a placement exam during the 1^st or the 2^nd trimester and a progression or school-leaving exam either between 1 and 10 June or 1 and 10 September. They are assessed by a three-member committee.
• Lower secondary school students participate in progression or school-leaving exams during the school’s exam period in June.  They are assessed by a two-member committee.
• General upper secondary school students and grade A vocational upper secondary school (EPAL) students participate in progression or school-leaving exams during the school exam period of May/June. They are assessed by a three-member committee.

If they pass these exams, they either progress to the next grade or they graduate.  If they fail, they have to repeat exams.  If they fail again, they have to re-attend the same grade.

Progression, graduation and reference to the special exam period of June/September or re-attendance of the grade depend on the applicable legislation.