Greek primary school teachers are set to hold a protest outside the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports in Athens on Tuesday, following a call by the country’s teachers’ federation, the Federation of Greek Primary School Teachers (DOE).
The rally is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and comes amid concerns raised by the federation over what it describes as “major cuts” to permanent and substitute teacher appointments, as well as the process for selecting new school textbooks ahead of the introduction of a multiple textbook system.
On Monday, June 8, DOE sent a letter requesting a meeting with the leadership of the Education Ministry during the teachers’ gathering outside the ministry building.
Concerns over new textbook selection process
A key issue raised by the federation is the timeline for choosing school textbooks for the 2027-2028 academic year.
DOE argued that thousands of teachers are being asked to select textbooks within just 10 working days, at the end of the school year, without sufficient preparation or a complete understanding of the material.
The federation said that teachers are expected to review dozens of textbooks, additional digital educational materials and teacher guides in a very limited period of time.
According to DOE, textbook selection is a major educational decision that requires proper discussion, information and evaluation before choices are made.
The federation is calling for the timetable to be changed so that decisions are made at the start of the school year, following a more thorough process involving the educational community.
Disputes over teacher appointments and staffing
DOE also warned of what it described as a planned reduction in permanent teacher appointments, claiming that the number could be cut from 10,000 expected positions to 5,000.
The federation also raised concerns about fewer substitute teacher hires through European Social Fund programs, particularly for support roles in inclusive education.
Teachers also object to planned school class mergers and the movement of students between classes, arguing that these measures could affect the quality of education.
Federation highlights shortages
In its statement, DOE said the changes come after a school year during which many staffing gaps remained unfilled despite thousands of mandatory overtime hours and teacher transfers between schools.
The federation said that many students were left without special education support and that teaching hours in subjects including music, arts, physical education, and social studies were lost.
It also claimed that some inclusion support programs remained only on paper because teachers were never appointed to fill the positions.
The teachers’ federation is calling for dialogue with the Education Ministry and changes to policies it says directly affect schools, educators and students.
