Five Greek mayors have sounded the alarm over the condition of public schools across the country, warning that recent administrative changes are undermining day-to-day operations and putting additional strain on students, teachers and local authorities.
In a joint letter addressed to the ministers of interior and education, the mayors argue that the abolition of municipal school committees has worsened long-standing problems in school infrastructure and management. The letter comes as the Interior Ministry has opened a public consultation on draft legislation that would formally eliminate school committees nationwide as of Aug. 1, 2026.
The signatories include the mayors of Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Peristeri and Ioannina. Taken together those cities and their mayors represent a large share of Greece’s urban population. Their intervention reflects growing concern among local governments, parent associations and education stakeholders about how schools are being supported at the local level.
What school committees do and why they matter
Until recently, school committees operated within municipalities as dedicated bodies responsible for managing school budgets, covering operational expenses and responding quickly to everyday needs, from urgent repairs to basic supplies. Under Law 5056/2023, these responsibilities were transferred to the central administrative services of each municipality.
According to the mayors, this shift has produced the opposite of its intended effect. Rather than streamlining procedures, they say it has created excessive centralization, added layers of bureaucracy and led to significant delays in resolving even routine problems in primary and secondary schools.
In their letter, the mayors note that many issues faced by schools are urgent by nature and cannot be addressed through slow, centralized approval processes. The flexibility previously offered by school committees, they argue, allowed for faster and more effective solutions at the local level.
Concerns echoed by parents and educators
The mayors’ warnings echo concerns already raised by parent associations, education groups and the Central Union of Greek Municipalities, the national body representing local governments. These groups have cautioned that removing financial management from the school level risks weakening the role of parents and teachers while reducing schools’ ability to respond to immediate needs.
Special education schools are cited as a particularly vulnerable case. Because of their unique and often urgent requirements, the mayors argue, these schools depend heavily on rapid administrative and financial intervention—something they say is increasingly difficult under the current framework.
Timing adds to uncertainty
The planned implementation date of August 2026 has also raised questions. The mayors point out that broader reforms to local government are expected under a forthcoming new Code of Local Government, which has yet to be released for public consultation. Proceeding with the abolition of school committees before those changes are clarified, they argue, risks creating further confusion and instability.
For this reason, the mayors are calling for the withdrawal of the relevant provision in the draft bill. They are also asking that existing school committees be maintained where they still operate, and that municipalities be given the option to re-establish them through decisions of local councils where they have already been dissolved.
“Local government will not remain passive”
In a public statement, the mayor of Piraeus described the proposed legislation as another constraint on local government, arguing that it ignores the realities faced by municipalities and schools alike. He said school committees have played a crucial role in ensuring speed, flexibility and transparency in the management of school resources.
Their abolition, he warned, would lead to further delays and operational problems, with direct consequences for the quality of education. Local government, he added, will not remain passive in the face of decisions that harm schools, students and the functioning of cities.
The mayors’ message to the central government is clear: any reform affecting education should prioritize children and communities, not administrative convenience. As the consultation period continues, they are urging state authorities to listen to local voices before moving forward with changes they say could leave Greek schools worse off.
