Primary School

The aim of Primary Education is :

To contribute to the full-scale, harmonious and balanced development of the students’ mental and psychosomatic faculties, so that regardless of their sex or origin, they have the chance to develop to integrated personalities and live creatively.

In particular it helps students:

a) to become free, responsible, democratic citizens , to defend their national independence,to be inspired by love for man, life and nature, and be possessed by loyalty to their country and genuine elements of the Orthodox Christian tradition.
Freedom of their religious conscience is inviolable .

Main factors of the achievement of the above aims are :

a) The personality and training of the staff of all sections and grades of education.
b) The syllabus , the school-books and other teaching aids as well as their proper use.
c) The provision of all the necessary requirements and means for the unhindered function of the schools .
d) The creation of the necessary pedagogic climate with the development of harmonious relations in school and classroom and with respect to each student’s personality.

Structure and stages of Education-Benefits

1. Primary Education is offered in Kindergartens and Primary schools. Kindergartens may be part of centres, and function together with State nursery schools (Nursery centres) .

2. Attending Primary School and Secondary School (Gymnasium) is compulsory, as long as the student is under 16. Anyone who has custody of the child and neglects his/her enrollment in school or supervision during his/her attendance is punished according to Article 458 of the Criminal Code.

3. Students of Primary and Secondary Education with special educational needs attend special schools or special classes in ordinary schools, or even ordinary classes, in order to get the appropriate for each case special care and education.

4. Boys and girls attend the same Primary and Secondary Schools (mixed schools).

5. The State provides free Primary and Secondary Education.

6. Text books and Teachers’ books are free for students and teachers. According to a decision by the Minister of Education, students may be obliged to keep their books in good condition and give them back to school at the end of the school year. There may be penalties for students who do not do their duty and for those who have their custody.

7. Running costs of schools are met with government subsidies to the local government which is responsible for the appropriation and handling of the relevant credits. Any remainder not assigned to use goes back to the State budget at the end of each financial year.

8. Students who live far from the school may be transported free or receive free accommodation and meals in the area of the school. If transportation is impossible or there are no prerequisites for free accommodation and meals, the students may get a monthly allowance.

9. Students of Lyceums and Technical schools may get State grants.

10. The State covers the expenses for medical care or hospitalization of students who had an accident while working in the laboratories of technical lyceums, technical schools, as long as the expenses are not covered by direct or indirect insurance.

11. A common decision by the Minister of Education, the Minister of Finance, the Home Office and the Minister of Public Order in the cases of paragraphs 7 and 8 and by the Minister of Health, Welfare and Social Security.