Protypo Experimental Lyceum of Patras University

Greece

The Greek

Educational

System

primary

education

According to the Greek Constitution, the government is required to offer free and mandatory educational services for all children ages 6 to 15 years (in other words, a mandatory 9-year educational system).

Children first go to kindergarten at the age of 5 years. The curriculum in kindergarten aims to prepare students for the first grade and the years to follow. At the age of 6 years, students enter the Demotikon or Elementary school for grades 1 through 6. The basic goal of the Dimotiko (Primary school) is to ensure the children's all-round, harmonious and balanced mental and physical development.

In the first two years pupils are not officially graded, and parents obtain feedback about their performance via oral communications with teachers. Grading begins in Year 3, and written exams are introduced in Year 5. Graduating from one year to the next is automatic, and pupils with deficient performance are given remedial tutoring. Years are called "classes", from first to sixth:Year 1: age 6 to 7Year 2: age 7 to 8Year 3: age 8 to 9Year 4: age 9 to 10Year 5: age 10 to 11Year 6: age 11 to 12

A normal school-day starts at 8.15 and finishes from 12.30 to 16.15 depending on the class and the school. The classes last between 30 and 80 minutes.

The school year always starts in the second week of September and ends in the second week of June.

The students have summer vacation (3 months), Christmas vacation (2 weeks) and Easter vacation (2 weeks).

Furthermore, students usually take another four days off in order to celebrate their two national holidays (28/10 and 25/3).

Grading System:

1st Year: no grades2nd Year: no grades3rd Year: A-E4th Year: A-E5th Year: 1-106th Year: 1-10

Secondary education

Gymnasium

Enrollment to the next tier of compulsory education, the Gymnasium, is automatic.

Secondary Education in Greece is divided into two levels: compulsory (lower) Secondary Education and post-compulsory (upper) Secondary Education.

Compulsory Secondary Education (ISCED2)

is provided in Gymnasio. Attendance in Gymnasio lasts for 3 years and addresses 12-15 years old pupils.

Education at Gymnasio level is designed to promote the pupils' all-round development with reference to the abilities which they have at that age and the demands which life puts on them.

Starts on September 11 and ends on June 15 to 18. The lessons end in the second week of May so that the students will be able to study for their examinations between May and June. The classes start at 8.15 and end from 13.45 to 14.15 according to the type of school. Classes last from 30 min. to 45 min. and there are breaks of 10 and 5 minutes between them. Every month each school is obliged to take the students for a walk (περίπατος), which is usually spontaneous, decided right before the first class and an educational excursion to a museum or theater etc. In the end of the year each school is obliged to organize 3 school trips, one for the students of the 2nd year for 3–4 days, one for the students of the 3rd year for 3–5 days and for all of the students which lasts one day.

There are 6 types of gymnasiums in Greece:General Gymnasium (entering there from the primary

school is automatic)Athletic Gymnasium (to enter this type of school

students must pass certain exams on a sport like basketball, football, volleyball, gymnastics, polo, swimming etc.)

Musical Gymnasium (to enter this type of school students must pass certain exams on a musical instrument)

Art GymnasiumExperimental GymnasiumChurch Gymnasium

Post-compulsory (Upper) Secondary Education (ISCED 3) according to the reform of 1997, involves two types of schools: Eniaio Lykeio (Unified Lyceum) and Techniko Epaggelmatiko Ekpaideftirio - TEE (Technical Vocational Educational School). The duration of studies in Eniaia Lykeia is three years and in the Technical Vocational Educational Schools (TEE) two years (a' level) or three years (b' level).

Assessment is based on day to day oral tests and the general involvement of the pupil in the learning process, on short written tests, on written tests given without warning during the school year and, finally, on written examinations at the end of the school year. At the end of the school year pupils who fail certain subjects must take a repeat examination in September. Pupils leaving the Gymnasiums are given a leaving certificate.

higher education(tertiary education) University

Tertiary education (ISCED 5) is provided in two parallel sectors: the university sector and the higher technological sector. Courses at tertiary level institutes last for 8-12 semesters. Students are admitted to these Institutes according to their performance at national level examinations taking place at the third grade of Lykeio. Postgraduate courses (ISCED 6) are also available at Tertiary education level.

University Education:

The mission of University Education is to ensure a high level of theoretical and all-round training for the future scientific workforce.

The University Education system includes the Universities (AEI), the Polytechnics, the Higher Fine Arts Institute and the Hellenic Open University.

Higher Technological Education: The role of Higher Technological Education, which includes Technological Education Institutes (TEI), is to contribute to the country's development and to progress in the fields of science and applied research. The focus is on the absorption and transfer of scientific data into the production process. The courses are more practically oriented than in the Universities. Higher Technological Education also includes ASPAITE, the Higher School of Pedagogical and Technical Education studies. Graduates of a Master course or a diploma study are entitled to enroll in doctoral studies at universities.

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Written by Elina Liana