09-08-16 Green light from Greek EU social fund official for seven major projects

The Greek Development Ministry's Special Secretary for Managing Sectoral Operational Programmes of the European Social Fund, Yorgos Ioannidis, has signed off on seven actions through which teachers and special personnel will be hired at schools nationwide. The seven projects, with a budget of over 200 million euros, will enable large-scale teacher hiring in crucial and understaffed areas, and are part of the European Union’s operational programme "Human Resources Development, Education and Life Lifelong Learning 2014-2020"

The total budget of 216 million euros will be further augmented by necessary funding from the Greek state budget and the state public investment programme, so that schools nationwide may operate smoothly from the very first day of classes, with all teachers and personnel in place, following Education Minister Nikos Filis’ related commitment.

The analytic projects and particular budgets are outlined below:

1. Integration of vulnerable social groups in primary schools

The programme aims to reduce the dropout rate of students with cultural and religious particularities, and improve the level of literacy and of aptitude in mathematics. It also entails the adjustment of refugee students to the educational system, ensuring a smooth integration.

To that end, there are provisions for teacher hirings at all primary schools where that it deemed necessary, where specially trained teachers will staff reception classes and teach special tutoring classes. Here, the main objective is learning Greek as a second language, but there will also be support in other courses. The necessary materials will be procured, and the programme will be advertised with posters and other means, so that families and schools will be informed about the new programmes.

Budget: 12,395,000 euros

2. Supportive tutoring in secondary schools

Creation of a programme for supplementary teaching for students with learning disabilities, facilitating access to high schools, completion of mandatory education , and stemming dropout rates. The annual organisation and operation of the programme will be determined by ministerial decision.

Budget: 8,762,652 euros

3. Specialised educational support for students with disabilities and/or special education needs

 The programme aims to achieve essential inclusion and integration with constant and specialised educational support for these students, who attend a general school.

The programme entails hiring special educational staff to cover parallel tutoring support needs. There will be special teacher training, in the framework of the European Programme for Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong  Learning.

There are also provisions for hiring support staff for students who cannot manage basic needs. Hence, it contributes to full social integration and the aversion of social exclusion, averting failure in school and early dropouts.

Budget: 35,811,036 euros

4. Development of support structures for the inclusion of students with disabilities or/and special education needs

 The programme involves the restructuring of  separate Schools of Special Education and Education  and their transformation intoCentres for the Support of Special Education and Education, the creation of Special Education School Networks, and the operation of Committees for Diagnostic Educational Evaluation and Support  (EDEAY) , to evaluate and support this category of students . It also covers the referral of students – when learning or behavioural problems persist - to the well-know KEDDY state evaluation and diagnostic centres, which are staffed with specialised educators.

In the framework of the programme, the necessary special  education staff will be employed at support centres, and they will participate in Committees for Educational  Diagnostic Evaluation and support. (EDEAY).

In this manner, support structures will be developed and the procurement of materials and equipment ensured. There will be administrative initiatives to inform the public .

Budget: 4,757,600

5. Individualised support for students with disabilities and/or special education needs

This initiative provide for the bolstering and modernization of special education schools and accession classes, based on International  Treaties on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Digital educational material will be used to apply new teaching approaches.

There are provisions for the hiring of the necessary number of special education teachers, and specialised support staff.

Budget: 72,619,292euros

6. Creation of Uniform Primary Schools

The creation ofUnified primary schoolsserves the constitutional mandate that all children be offered equal educational opportunities and it abolishes the many types of primary schools, which led to the teaching of various subjects (theatre, additional tutoring hours in English, physical education and visual arts) at only the 1,337 schools with the Unified Revised Educational Programme, but not at the remaining 2,218 primary schools nationwide.

It also addresses the following inequality: now, at  2, 218 primary schools, first and second grade students end the school day two teaching hours earlier (12:25PM) than the students at the New Revised Educational Programme schools, while third and fourth graders finished the school day an hour earlier (12:25pm).

In order to ensure equal opportunities , by offering all teaching subjects at all primary schools nationwide, , the Unified Primary School will be established, with the uniform implementation of the weekly programme hours.

The new unified primary schools will have a mandatory morning programme between 8:00am and 13:15pm, while the optional all-day school will also operate between 1:16pm and 16:00pm.

The all-day programme  introduces at all schools a teacher-supervised study hour, alleviating home preparation of class assignments.

The third teaching hour will offer a broad selection of subject areas (computers, English, athletics, visual arts, theatre, music, and cultural associations.

This programme will be implemented  in the 2016-17 school year, with December 31, 2017 being the end date.

Budget:62,875,025 euros

7. Bolstering and upgrading pre-school education

Updating the quality, and the  expansion and support of two-year pre-school education – which is also a basic priority of the Council of Europe – is the aim of this programme. The necessary substitute teachers who will be hired will work exclusively at kindergartens and in two-year pre-schools, which are more necessary than ever due to the crisis in our country.

Preparation for primary school, the adjustment of pre-school students to the new school environment, and the bolstering of aptitudes are basic parameters of the programme, which will operate between September 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Budget:18,908,075 euros