Speaking to state broadcaster NERIT, Greek Education Minister Andreas Loverdos has said that he is contemplating several changes to the Greek elementary school curriculum in a bid to make it “more student friendly.”
The minister’s proposed changes will be discussed during the first meeting of the National Education Council (composed of former Ministers of Education), to be held later this month.
The proposal calls for elementary schools to have more creative courses and activities, including sports and the arts.
“The fact that today there are 18 courses in elementary schools is proof that schools are a madhouse, it is proof that schools work for someone else, not for children,” noted Loverdos. The aim, he added, is to reduce the time children spend doing homework. This is not the first time such a change has been recommended.
This new round of proposals was the result of a young German student who, upon entering a Greek school, was shocked to find how loaded the Greek curriculum was. “We do not do this,” reported the German student. “We have less work.”
The education ministry will propose its changes to Parliament shortly. They are not expected to be activated before January, however, since a three month deliberation period follows all education proposals.
The Greek high-school curriculum is not expected to change. Some corrective measure – the introduction of IT courses in all schools nationwide, extended physical education courses, a reduction in the amount of material taught in Evening High Schools – were implemented as of this school year.
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