Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

The curriculum and timetable lower secondary education (gymnasio)  are drawn up by the Educational Policy Institute (IEP), which makes proposals on:

• The curricula of secondary education
• School textbooks
• Other teaching materials.

The curricula give full guidelines for the teaching work and include the following:

• Clearly defined objectives for each subject and in line with the general and specific objectives outlined in the respective education level
• The syllabus divided into different coursework
• Indicative guidelines on the teaching method and material per subject.

Curricula are defined at top level and concern all students attending the same grade and education level.  The study programme and coursework, are tested as pilot, evaluated and reviewed in line with the developments in science and education.
Lower secondary school (day or evening) curricula are split into 3 levels, each representing a grade. 
Instruction time for subjects at day lower secondary education (gymnasia) is specified in ministerial decision 94207/Δ2/29-07-2021. In day secondary schools, instruction time amounts to 33 hours per week, for grades A and B and to 34 hours for grade C, as follows: 

Day lower secondary school timetable

Instruction time for subjects at evening lower secondary schools (gymnasia) is specified in ministerial decision 94214/Δ2/29-07-2021. It amounts to 24 school hours per week for grades A and B and to 2 hours for grade C for esperina gymnasia (evening lower secondary schools) .
The language of instruction is the official national language of the country, Greek.  Greek runs throughout both primary and secondary Education, covering important part of the curriculum in these education levels.Subjects taught in gymnasia are compulsory for all students of the same grade, except for the second foreign language. 
Students choose a second foreign language, French or German, at grade 5 of primary school.  The selection is valid until grade C of lower secondary school.
However, students can change their choice of second language at grade A of gymnasio. Parents should justify this in writing (application).  There is a set condition that a class should be formed for teaching the second foreign language (ministerial decision 53476/ΓΔ4/2017).
Italian is taught (in parallel to French and German) in gymnasia, where permanent teachers of the relevant specialization serve.
With a view to reinforce the development of  soft skills, life skills as well as technology and science skills, pursuant to law 4807/2021, the  teaching unit entitled “Skills Development Workshops” is introduced in the school curriculum and the weekly timetable in all types and level of compulsory education school units.  

The duration and the content of the thematic cycles of each teaching unit, 

- thematic units included in each thematic cycle, 

-the number and the specializations of teachers who will be teaching each thematic cycle and unit, 

-assessment procedures and any other relevant issue, 

-the organization and implementation of relevant educational as well as supporting activities for the teachers involved 

is all decided an determined at top level.

Teaching material and methods

The scientific and pedagogical support and guidance of teachers, teaching in secondary education is undertaken by Education advisors (law 4823/2021). The new structures for the support of education work are as follows:

1. Regional Board of Supervisors (PESEP)
2. Centres for Interdisciplinary Assessment, Counseling and Support (KEDASY)
3. School Education Support Networks (SDEY)
4. Interdisciplinary Support Committees of School Units for General and Vocational Education (EDY)
5. Training Centres for Environment and Sustainability (KEPEA

The writing of school textbooks is based on:

• The single cross thematic curriculum framework (ministerial decision 21072α/Γ2/28-2-2003).
• The new detailed curricula (ministerial decision 21072β/Γ2/28-2-2003).

Textbooks are distributed for free in public schools. They are common for all students attending the same grade. 

School textbooks and curricula are prepared by the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP). 
The Computer Technology Institute & Press Diophantus is a research and technology organization focusing on research and the effective use of Information and Communication Technologies in the sector of education (law 3966/2011).  It publishes and distributes all school textbooks.
Τhe authorization of all other educational material, education programmes and research conducted in specific primary and secondary schools, is carrie out after recommendations and suggestions made by IEP.  Interested parties, i.e. publishers, writers etc, may apply via the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports.
At the beginning of the school year, all teachers receive teaching instructions.  Based on the syllabus and carriculum, teachers are reletavily independent since they can modify their subject’s teaching methods in ways that suit their students’ abilities and interests.
Some methodological approaches used in secondary education are the following:

1. Strengthening investigation and discovery (active approach to knowledge): it aims at helping students to think, handle complex concepts, investigate and conquer knowledge themselves, i.e. learn ‘how to learn’
2. Outdoor/environment Visits (natural and anthropogenic).  Contact with the environment contributes to an experiential approach to learning; in the long run, this approach may work in other directions as well, such as in career guidance and right choice of studies
3. Demonstrations using appropriate teaching aids by means of slides, videos, models, pre-made kits etc. The interest of pupils is triggered, their attention is focused on a specific goal. Learning becomes easier and more natural
4. Discussion – debate of the teacher with pupils or discussion in groups: the discussion allows pupils to think, be puzzled, evaluate, form their opinions through the dialectical process of confrontation
5. Direct form of teaching – narration: man has the ability, by means of reason, to communicate knowledge and ideas.  This enables teachers to be directly involved in the learning process at the time of teaching, when they consider that indirect forms of teaching are not appropriate for the occasion
6. Teamwork: working in small, collaborative groups of pupils develops a dynamic that may well be used either as a context of collective data processing or support towards individual learning.

Within the context of optional school activities, teachers undertake actions on:

• Environmental education
• Health education
• Culture and arts oriented issues.

School laboratories (natural sciences and information technology)

A major effort is made for the promotion of laboratory teaching for the subjects of natural sciences as well as for the support of the teaching and the application of information and new technologies in secondary education schools.

School laboratory for natural sciences

The school laboratory for natural sciences covers the needs of natural sciences laboratory teaching. The implementation of lab activities is an integral part of teaching natural sciences subjects. School laboratories offer a place for teaching as well as practical activities where students work in groups on a specific subject, developing their creativity in a spirit of cooperation.  At the same time, students have at their disposal up-to-date instruments and equipment, which helps students discover the natural environment and the laws that govern it.

Laboratory centres for natural sciences

Laboratory centres for natural sciences (EKFE) operate in order to offer extra support in the teaching of natural sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology-Geography),   There can be one or more such labs (EKFE) depending on the number of school units at each education directorate.
Laboratory centres for natural sciences are centres of research, technical and pedagogical support in the lab teaching of natural sciences subjects, providing school units with advice in organising school laboratories in the local supervising educational directorates.  

School laboratory for information technology and computer applications

Apart from the above school labs, all school units are equipped with a school laboratory for information technology and computer applications.  Its function is to teach computer science and computer applications as defined by the curricula and broader educational goals. 
School labs complement the educational process,  offering modern day and interactive ways of learning and training through the teaching of subject fields via:

• The use of certified educational software
• Pedagogical use of the Internet
• The support of project-based learning in the framework of the school’s activities
• The European cooperation actions
• The broadening of purely teaching activities (enhanced teaching, additional teaching support).

The laboratories are equipped with computer equipment (hardware and software), peripheral devices and networking installation (hubs, switches modems, routers), projectors, books and all necessary consumables.

Educational platforms and digital portals

The digital upgrade of the teaching process is carried out through supply programmes of suitable ICT equipment (portable laboratories, interactive boards).
Through the official digital educational portal of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, the educational community (teachers, students) and parents are informed of various issues of interest such as:

1. Useful links
2. Educational news and announcements
3. Conferences – events of various bodies
4. Approved educational programmes for the school year
5. Educational visits
6. Transnational programmes
7. Health education programmes
8. Career guidance matters.

The user can quickly and easily search for information.  The portal is useful to the education community to the extent it gathers all relevant information in a single site on the Internet.
The educational resource open-edu also supports this effort.  The website aims at presenting free:

• Digital resources
• Libraries
• Services.

Additionally, "Photodentro" which is a paltform with Digital Educational Content,  operates as  a user generated repository content as both teachers and students can post additional educational material. It is an electronic platform of the Ministry of Education that includes school textbooks in digital form as well as rich teaching and learning material. Teachers and members of the wider educational community can:

• Post their own digital content or
• Search for digital content.

The aim is to gather learning material, developed by members of the educational community who wish to share them, such as:

1. Experimental material
2. Interactive simulations
3. Research
4. Images
5. Educational games
6. 3D maps
7. Exercises
8. Educational scenarios
9. Lesson plans.

The newly established Digital School  is a digital platform which includes the full content of the lessons taught in schools in the form of short video episodes created by experienced teachers.

The first available videos are on  Language and Mathematics  for all lower secondary school levels. In the near future, all  teaching material per school subject, for all levels of education will be available in the digital school.

Psifiako Frontistirio refers to on-line real-time tutorials on the subjects of the 3rd grade of upper secondary schools will be offered for the preparation of students taking the national examinations (pan-hellenic).  Digital tutorials include all nationally examined GEL (general upper secondary) and EPAL (vocational upper secondary) courses as well as  any special subject, such as for example architectural design. 

During digital teaching, which will take place in the afternoon hours, the students will have the opportunity to interact with each other and the teacher in real time, while the lessons will include tests and evaluation.

Finally,  the Advanced Electronic Scenarios Operating Platform (AESOP) of the Institute of Educational Policy is a support website for the education community, whereupon various scenarios for different subjects of primary and secondary education are made available.

Foreign languages

The implementation of the single curriculum in foreign languages has been a major change in foreign language education (ministerial decision 141417/Δ2/9-9-2016).
With the Single Curriculum in Foreign Languages ( ministerial decision 141417/Δ2/9-9-2016), the teaching of foreign languages throughout the spectrum of compulsory education is now  considered to be a single cognitive subject with a common curriculum.

The above curriculum describes in detail the communicative objectives through standards such as:

• Communicative language proficiency
• Partly communicative language actions.

The standards above are classified according to the levels of language proficiency of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (NRFL, Council of Europe, 2001).
The choice of teaching methods depends on the teachers’ judgment and on the basis of the social, cultural and learning traits, as well as the interests and needs of students.
Apart from lesson plans, language teachers may create suitable educational material.  Hence, teachers can enrich the school textbook, to reinforce learning incentives and meet the interests and inclinations of students.