Early childhood education and care

Pre-school education and care is provided to children under 4 years of age at infant/child and child centres.  Pre-school education and care is not part of the formal educational system which in Greece begins with the enrolment at pre-primary school. Infant/child and child centres are municipal public law legal entities (NPDD) and are managed by a board of directors, whose members are appointed by the respective municipal council. Primary responsibility for education management, formal and non-formal, in all fields, services and levels lies with the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs while specific management and guidance competences are allocated per education level as follows:

Early childhood and school education

Management of all schools throughout the country belonging to the first two levels of the formal education system primary education (pre-primary and primary school) and secondary education, compulsory (lower secondary school) and non-compulsory (upper secondary school), is supervised at central level by scientific and advisory services and boards operating at the Ministry. At regional level, administration is exercised by the relevant Regional Primary and Secondary Education Directorates directly governed by the Minister. At prefecture level, administration is exercised by the Directorates of Primary and Secondary Education, which operate under the respective Regional Directorates of Education. At primary and secondary education school unit level, the administrative bodies are the school head, the deputy school head and the school teachers' board. The Educational Policy Institute (IEP) is the competent body, at national level, as regards primary and secondary education quality control. IEP’s aim is to conduct scientific research and study on issues regarding primary and secondary education as well as provide continuing scientific and technical support on the planning and implementation of the educational policy applied to the issues in question. At regional level, the Regional Centers for Educational Planning (PEKES) plan, monitor, coordinate and support the educational work of public and private school units and Laboratory Centers (EK) in their area of authority.  They also support pedagogically and scientifically the teachers of these school units. PEKES are staffed by educational coordinators.

Higher education

Higher education is provided by higher education institutions (HEIs). They are self-governed legal entities of public law and are supervised by the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs. Higher education consists of universities. The administrative bodies are established at institution, school, department and section level. The laws governing the organisation, operation and management of HEIs in Greece are law 4009/2011 and law 4485/2017, as amended by the latest laws 4713/20 and 4692/20.

Lifelong learning

At central level, the General Secretariat for VET, Lifelong Learning and Youth of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs co-ordinates, monitors, promotes and formulates policy proposals for vocational education, vocational training, lifelong learning and youth. The laws regulating the provision of lifelong learning services in our country are law 3879/2010 and law 4186/2013, as amended by the latest law 4763/20. More specifically, by law 3879/2010, inter alia, the National Lifelong Learning Network is established. In addition, collective bodies' role and regions' and municipalities' involvement are described. Under law 4186/2013 as amended by the latest law 4763/2020, the operation of formal and non-formal education providers is defined.