greece

EDUCATION IN GREECE THROUGH TIME The desire of the Greeks to learn and cultivate their intellect is evident from the first scripts of Greek civilization.

Apart from communicating knowledge, Greeks dealt with the methods they would best achieve it. In Sparta, the emphasis is on physical education and the cultivation of military virtue. Healthy 7 year old boys and above were only entitled to be educated.

The basic subjects were: writing, maths, music and dance. As far as girls were concerned, their main duty was reproduction and the practice of dances.

The main goal of education in Athens was physical and spiritual development. In their early years, children were taught by their parents or pedagogues until they began elementary education in private schools at 7 years of age. Teenagers over 14 could receive higher education offered in public secondary schools or schools of philosophy and rhetoric (Aristotle’s, Plato’s Academy) where astronomy, maths and grammar were taught. Most Greek ‘poleis’ of this era had a similar educational system.

There were 3 types of education in the Byzantine era: secular, religious/clerical, and monastical. Each type comprised 3 stages : elementary, secondary and higher education.

Elementary education or ‘Holy Letters” started at the seventh year of age. It was not compulsory, had three grades and focused on reading and writing. Priests, monks and private teachers- called pedagogues- taught in elementary schools .Secondary education had five grades. Ancient Greek language and literature, maths and physics were taught. Theodosius the second founded the University of Constantinople in 425AD where ancient Greek language and literature, latin, rhetoric, philosophy and law were studied. Moreover, rich libraries facilitated the educational work.

The church and emigrant Greeks played an important role in the education of Greeks during the Turkish occupation. At first, the only places where someone could be educated were the churches and monasteries. Later on, the ‘Fanar Greek Orthodox College’ was founded in Constantinople. Over the years ‘common’ elementary schools and greek schools with a broader curriculum were founded. Until the 19th century schools and colleges were founded throughout the Greek state thus contributing to the new Greek Enlightenment. Although the diversity of greek linguistic backgrounds caused conflicts, the writing and publishing activity contributed to the national and intellectual flourish of Hellenism.

Ioannis Kapodistrias , the Greek State governor, founded the “Orphanage of Aegina’ in 1829 to establish the compulsory elementary education. His early death prevented the foundation of a university. In 1833 Otto undertook the regency of Greece and tried to imitate the german educational system. Thus, a 7 grade primary school was the first educational level followed by a 3 grade school. Afterwards, graduates would attend a 4 grade secondary school and finally university. After the 1st World War, the Asia Minor Campaign and the Inter war, the 6 grade primary/elementary education was made compulsory followed by the civil/urban school or the 6 grade middle school.

Some first attempts to modernize education in Greece are made 20 years after the german occupation . Free education, the introduction of demotic language, the 9 year compulsory school and the academic certificate are established. A teacher-centered approach is followed, there are exams to enter the university and the subjects are subdivided into core and choice depending on the orientation( theoretical, practical, technological). What is now suggested is a student-centered, interdisciplinary and interactive approach. Finally, steps have been made to improve the educational conditions for the people with special needs.