The Skills Labs is a new, innovative school module which focuses on the cultivation of soft and digital skills.

The Skills Labs’ main goal is the cultivation of skills necessary for a rapidly changing world. These skills include both fundamental life skills related to health, safety, and social interactions, as well as more elaborate skills related to education and life-long learning. Particular emphasis is placed on the 4Cs of 21^st century skills – communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity – along with digital skills.

The Skills Labs is designed to promote and bring into effect the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with particular emphasis to Goal 4.7 and has gathered significant attention from international bodies such as UNSECO. It was awarded the Global Education Network Europe (GENE) Global Education Award (2020/2021).

The Skills Labs are divided in four thematic cycles:

In each cycle, students approach a major contemporary issue (e.g. mental health, climate change, diversity, robotics) and through a series of student-centered activities, workshops, presentations, competitions and other educational interventions develop related skills.

The module is part of the mandatory national curriculum for all students in compulsory education. Kindergartens and elementary schools dedicate 3 hours per week (10% of total teaching time) and lower secondary schools dedicate 1 hour per week (to be expanded soon).

Education materials are developed by civil society (universities, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, citizens’ groups, local government, private research centers as well as educators) and are evaluated, selected and monitored by the Institute of Educational Policy.  All education educational materials are uploaded on an online, interactive platform which allows teachers to collaborate and exchange good practices.

This bottom-up approach constitutes another significant change for the Greek education system: increasing decentralization and pluralization is a key reform to provide a more active role to teachers and schools in designing and implementing curricula and further integrating schools with local communities.

A pilot program with 2,500 teachers in 217 schools was conducted in 2020/21.

Since September 2021 the Skills Labs have been rolled out to all classes throughout the country.

In addition, almost 100% of the total of targeted teachers have either completed (60,000) or enrolled in the Skills Labs module teacher training (32-hour online workshop).

Source: Eurydice Unit Greece