The Ministry of Education is preparing plans for a new type of all-day primary schools which will be introduced next year. In the new system, classes end at 13:15, rather than 14:10, however parents can have their children stay at school until 16:00.
During this period students will have the opportunity to work on homework and engage in extra-curricular activities and courses, such foreign languages, music, arts etc. By reducing the number of teaching hours the Ministry will be able to better plan adjust taught subjects and facilitate school operations. The changes will also facilitate teacher union meetings.
As expected, opposition parties New Democracy and PASOK have slammed the Ministry of Education over these changes. In its statement New Democracy accused the government of depriving middle class children of the opportunity to develop thei skills and further undermining education.
PASOK on the other hand countered the government’s claims for introducing these changes and warned that the Ministry’s interventions will have a detrimental effect on the quality of education in Greece.
