This document summarizes the education system in Greece. It outlines three main levels - primary, secondary, and tertiary education. Primary education consists of kindergarten and primary school (Dimotiko). Secondary education is divided into junior high school (Gymnasio) and high school (Lykeio), which can be either general or vocational. Tertiary education includes universities, technological institutes, and vocational training institutes. The education system is overseen by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and includes public and some private schools.

1. Education
in Greece
Maria
Papadopoulou

2. Three levels
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
(with an additional
post secondary level
providing vocational
training)

4. Primary education
kindergarten
(one or two years)
primary school
(are called "Dimotiko“)
• Years are called "classes", from first
to sixth:
• Year 1: age 6 to 7
• Year 2: age 7 to 8
• Year 3: age 8 to 9
• Year 4: age 9 to 10
• Year 5: age 10 to 11
• Year 6: age 11 to 12
Basic subjects:
• Modern Greek Language (1 hour/day)
• Modern Greek Literature (6 hours/week)
• Mathematics (5 hours/week)
• Environmental Studies (2–4 hours/week)
• Physical Education (4 hours/week)
• Music (2 hours/week)
• Art (2 hours/week)
• Theatrical Studies (1 hour/week)
• Flexible Zone (3 hours/week)
• English (2–4 hours/week)
Additional Subjects:
• Physics (2 hours/week and only for years
5 and 6)
• Geography (2 hours/week and only for
years 5 and 6)
• History (2 hours/week and for years 3-6)
• Religion (2 hours/week and for years 3-6)
• Social & Political Studies (2 hours/week
and only for years 5 and 6)
• Second Foreign Language (2 hours/week
and only for years 5 and 6)

5. Secondary education
Junior High School
(Gymnasio)
(a compulsory three-year school)
High School
(Lykeio)
1. General Lyceum
(Academic training)
2. Vocational Lyceum
(Vocational training)
Junior High School
6 types of Gymnasiums:
 General Gymnasium
 Athletic Gymnasium
 Musical Gymnasium
 Art Gymnasium
 Experimental Gymnasium
 Church Gymnasium

6. Subjects in the Gymnasium :
• Modern Greek Language
(2 hours/week)
• Modern Greek Literature
(2 hours/week)
• Ancient Greek Language
(3 hours/week)
• Ancient Greek Literature
(Homer Odyssey-Homer
Iliad, Euripides Helen), (2
hours/week)
• Mathematics (4
hours/week)
• Physics (2 hours/week)
• Chemistry (1 hour/week)
• Biology (2 hours/week)
• Social and Political
Studies (2 hours/week)
• Physical Education (2 hours/week)
• Art (1 hour/week)
• Music (1 hour/week)
• History (2 hours/week)
• Religion (2 hours/week)
• Computer Studies (1 hour/week)
• Technology (1 hour/week)
• English (2 hours/week)
• 2nd foreign language (German,
French, Italian and Spanish,2
hours/week)
• School Vocational Guidance (1
hour/week)
• Home Economics (1 hour/week)
• Geography (2 hours/week)
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

7. High School
(General Lyceum)
The subjects:
Greek Language
(Ancient Greek, Modern
Greek Literature and
Composition -9 hours/week)
Religion (2 hours/week)
Ancient History (2
hours/week)
Maths (5 hours/week)
English (3 hours/week)
Physical Sciences
(Physics, Chemistry,
Biology-6 hours/week)
Physical Education (2
hours/week)
Project (2 hours/week)
Principles of Economics
(2 hours/week)
Professional/Vocat
ional Lyceum
Cycles
Technology
(Engineering, Mechanical and electrical
Car system, Electrical, Graphic arts,
Computer systems etc)
Services
(Technology and control food, Staff
administration and finance Services,
Business tourism officials etc)
Nautical
(Navy captain, Marine engineer)
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

8. Tertiary education in Greece
Higher Educational
Institutes
(Universities and the
Higher Technological
Educational Institutes)
Colleges collaborating
with foreign universities
Vocational Training
Institute
(Institouto Epagelmatikis
Katartisis)
Open University

9. Additional…
All levels are overseen by the
Ministry of Education and
Religious Affairs. The Ministry
exercises centralised control over
state schools, by prescribing the
curriculum, appointing staff and
controlling funding.
the supervisory role of the
Ministry is exercised through
Regional Directorates of Primary
and Secondary Education.
Tertiary institutions are
nominally autonomous
There are public and
private dimotika (primary
education), gymnasia (middle
school; secondary
education), lykeia (high school;
secondary education). Some of
them are for foreigners, usually
children of British or American
families. For example see
American Community Schools.
There are also a number of
private colleges and universities
operating alongside the state
education and providing
supplementary tuition. These
parallel schools (Greek:
φροντιστήριο, frontistirio
(singular)) provide foreign
language tuition, supplementary
lessons for weak students as well
as exam preparation courses for
the competitive
Panhellenic national examinations
.
Enrollment to the next tier of
compulsory education,
the Gymnasium, is automatic
The students have summer
vacation (3 months), Christmas
vacation (2 weeks) and Easter
vacation (2 weeks)