The new school year officially begins on Thursday, September 11, 2025, bringing with it permanent teacher appointments, curriculum changes, new literature books, the launch of the Public Onassis Schools, and even vegetable gardens in schoolyards.

Teacher appointments
Ahead of the school year’s opening, the Ministry of Education has appointed new permanent staff and hired substitutes to ensure schools are fully staffed.

In August 2025, 8,223 permanent teachers were appointed: 5,627 in general education and 3,196 in special education. In addition, 993 members of specialized educational and support staff were placed, bringing the total for the year to 9,816 appointments.

The first wave of 18,566 substitute teachers across primary, secondary, and special education has also been completed, alongside 6,225 support staff for special schools, parallel support, and counseling centers.

Last year, the ministry also created 600 new positions for psychologists and 600 for social workers in 3,000 schools, strengthening psychosocial support for students and families.

Curriculum changes
From this year, a new curriculum will apply to all primary and middle school classes, giving teachers more freedom. Learning objectives have been reorganized into:

1. Core goals – essential knowledge and skills for all students.
2. Optional goals – chosen by teachers to adapt lessons to their class’s interests and needs.

This redesign ties into the new “multiple textbook” system, expected in 2026–27. Final announcements on the curriculum are expected before schools open.

Towards multiple textbooks
While students will receive the same books as last year, teachers will gain access to new digital textbooks through the Digital Library by late September. They’ll have time to select materials for the multiple-textbook framework, with the final choices set in spring 2026. Printed versions will be distributed in September 2026.

Students will also see complete literary works in literature courses and digital access through the eVivlio platform, which includes e-books and audiobooks.

New school facilities and reopenings
431 schools will open with upgraded infrastructure under the “Marietta Giannakou” program. The 12 Public Onassis Schools will also open this year in Attica, Macedonia, and Thrace.

Notably, the primary school on the small island of Pserimos will reopen after 17 years so that two local children can stay on the island instead of commuting to Kalymnos. New schools are also opening in Drama, Magnesia, and even inside the Larissa prison, marking the first vocational high school in a correctional facility.

New courses and programs
Third-year middle school students will begin a new Economics course, designed to teach financial literacy skills such as saving, income management, market functions, and entrepreneurship.

In selected preschools and primary schools, a new “School Gardens” program will integrate sustainability into learning. Schools will be equipped with planters, soil, seeds, and small greenhouses to help children learn through hands-on gardening.

Digital Tutoring Platform continues
The highly successful Digital Tutoring Platform will return for a second year. Last year, it offered more than 3,500 hours of live online lessons, including subtitles and sign-language interpretation.