Why Greece’s Schools Are Struggling to Turn Big Reforms into Better Learning Results

The OECD finds that Greece has expanded access to education and launched ambitious reforms, but student learning outcomes continue to decline, with large gaps between policy goals and classroom reality. Turning reform into results will require stronger school leadership, better support for teachers, and more coherent implementation across the system.

Greek classrooms today are being asked to do more than ever before. They must help the country recover from a long economic crisis, close social inequalities, and prepare young people for a rapidly changing labour market. This is the backdrop to the OECD’s major review, Improving Learning Outcomes in Greece, produced by the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills in collaboration with the Greek Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, and drawing on research from bodies such as the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP), the Authority for Quality Assurance in Primary and Secondary Education (ADIPPDE), Eurydice, and international surveys like PISA and ICILS.

The report recognises that Greece has made serious efforts to modernise its education system. But it also delivers a clear warning: despite ambitious reforms, students are still not learning enough, and the gap between policy plans and classroom reality remains wide.

Strong Access, Weak Learning Results

On paper, Greece performs well in access to education. School participation is almost universal through lower secondary education, early school leaving is among the lowest in the European Union, and more young adults now hold university degrees than the EU average. One of the most important achievements has been making pre-primary education compulsory from age four, bringing nearly all young children into formal learning.

Yet learning outcomes tell a different story. Results from PISA 2022 show a steady decline in mathematics, reading and science. Greek students perform well below the OECD average, and almost half fail to reach basic proficiency in mathematics. Even more concerning, the number of top-performing students has dropped sharply. This suggests the system is struggling both to support weaker learners and to nurture high achievers.

A System Still Run from the Centre

One reason for this disconnect lies in how the system is governed. Greece remains one of the most centralised education systems in the OECD. Key decisions on staffing, budgets, curricula and assessments are taken by the central government, leaving schools with little flexibility to respond to local needs.

In recent years, Greece has reintroduced school self-evaluation, external evaluation and new leadership roles. These steps signal a shift toward greater school responsibility. However, the report finds that responsibilities are still fragmented across agencies, school leaders are overloaded with administrative tasks, and local support structures vary widely in quality. As a result, autonomy exists more on paper than in practice.

Teachers Carry the Reform Burden

Teachers sit at the heart of Greece’s reform agenda. The government has increased permanent appointments, introduced mentors and coordinators in schools, and launched a national teacher appraisal system. These moves represent a major cultural shift after years of limited formal evaluation.

Still, challenges remain. Many schools rely heavily on substitute teachers, access to high-quality professional development is uneven, and teacher appraisal is not yet strongly linked to training or career progression. Crucially, Greece lacks a shared national framework defining what good teaching looks like. Without this common reference point, efforts to align training, evaluation and school improvement remain fragmented.

Early Years and Digital Tools: Promise and Gaps

Early childhood education is one of Greece’s strongest reform areas, but also one of its most uneven. While compulsory pre-primary education has expanded access, services for children under four remain fragmented across ministries and municipalities. Quality varies widely depending on location, staffing conditions and resources. The OECD stresses that early education is one of the most effective ways to reduce inequality, but only if quality improves alongside access.

Digital education tells a similar story. Greece has invested heavily in infrastructure, online platforms and connectivity, especially after the pandemic. Digital tools are increasingly seen as a way to reduce inequality, with free national online tutoring supporting students preparing for exams. However, classroom use remains uneven, many teachers lack confidence in digital teaching, and there is limited evidence on what actually works.

Turning Reform into Results

The OECD’s message is clear but balanced. Greece has shown determination and ambition in reforming education under difficult economic and demographic conditions. However, real improvement will depend on stronger school leadership, better teacher support, clearer governance and more consistent use of data.

Education reform, the report concludes, must move beyond laws and strategies and reach the classroom. For Greece, improving learning outcomes is no longer just an education issue. It is central to economic resilience, social cohesion and the country’s prospects.