The Ministries of Shipping and Education are planning a series of meetings in order to come up with a plan to overcome the difficulties and establish private maritime training schools, in an effort to improve current maritime education and take advantage of the available European funding.
According to the Minister of Shipping Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the maritime education in Greece has declined, despite the fact the Greece is one of the leading countries in shipping.
By establishing private schools the Ministry will hope to keep students from emigrating due to better conditions, particularly with regards to seeking out practical experience, which can be daunting, especially for female students.
Aside from providing a friendlier learning environment and opportunities, maritime schools abroad, such as in Bulgaria, offer a higher quality university degree, whereas in Greece the relevant diploma is only equal to a technical university degree.
Nevertheless, the president of the Panhellenic Association of Merchant Ship Captains (PEPEN) Giorgos Vlachos was against private schools, arguing that there is no need for them if public schools and education are supported as they should.
