A nationwide education rally takes place today, Thursday, November 6, in Athens, Thessaloniki, and more than forty cities across Greece. In Athens, demonstrators are gathering at the Propylaea, the western entrance of the Acropolis, where students, university groups, and teachers join forces under the banners of the Primary and Secondary teachers’ federations.

At the heart of the mobilization lies a shared message: education is a public good, not a commodity. University students vow to intensify their struggle, calling for open, inclusive universities that serve knowledge and society rather than market interests. Their banners emphasize resistance to reforms seen as undermining the academic character of higher education.

Teachers, meanwhile, demand immediate measures to fill persistent staff shortages in schools, permanent appointments to cover educational needs, pay increases, and improved planning that safeguards teaching hours and curricula.

The unions denounce the inadequate conditions in many schools—overcrowded classrooms, decaying infrastructure, and exhausted students dependent on private tutoring. They argue that government “reforms” have deepened poverty and inequality rather than modernized education.

Work stoppages have been declared for primary and preschool teachers between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., while a three-hour strike has been announced for secondary school teachers, allowing them to join the rallies.

Parents’ associations are also taking part, rallying behind the slogan “everyone in the streets for our children’s right to education.” They decry what they describe as the steady erosion of public schooling, pointing to thousands of unfilled teaching positions, lost teaching hours, inactive afternoon programs, and the lack of reliable student transportation.

The Federation of Parents and Guardians of Attica warns that the situation has become intolerable, accusing the state of indifference and insisting that families can no longer bear the burden.