The Greek Ministry of Education has announced an extensive restructuring of the national school network for the upcoming 2026–2027 academic year. Driven by a deepening demographic crisis, the plan will see dozens of low-enrollment schools closed or merged. However, the ministry is balancing these closures by establishing new units in high-growth areas and significantly expanding Special Education infrastructure.
The overhaul follows a severe demographic alarm showing 2,873 fewer births nationwide in 2025, alongside a sharp decline in births among mothers aged 25–29.
Minister of Education Sofia Zacharaki emphasized that the interventions aim to reshape Greece’s educational map to reflect real-world population shifts. “Our goal is a more functional, fair, and effective public school system,” Zacharaki stated, noting that resources are being systematically reallocated to areas with rising student populations and urgent special needs.
School closures and downgrades
Due to dwindling or entirely non-existent student numbers—particularly in rural and semi-urban zones—the ministry is officially shuttering or downgrading numerous primary tracks:
Permanent closures: A total of 43 Kindergartens and 32 Elementary Schools are being abolished. The vast majority of these units had already seen their operations suspended in recent years due to zero enrollment.
Downgrades: 40 Kindergartens and 106 Elementary Schools will be downsized, meaning they will operate with fewer classroom sections and reduced teaching staff to match lower student turnout.
Strategic mergers: To improve educational quality and optimize resource management, the ministry is consolidating smaller schools:
70 Kindergartens will be merged into 33 larger units.
12 Elementary Schools will be consolidated into 6 units.
New schools, upgrades, and expansion
In stark contrast to shrinking rural populations, urban centers and specific islands are seeing distinct demographic growth, prompting the ministry to fund expansions.
Primary education
A new 6-class Elementary School will be built in Vothonas on the island of Thira (Santorini).
7 Kindergartens and 31 Elementary Schools nationwide are being officially upgraded to accommodate influxes of new students.
Secondary Education
10 new secondary schools are being established across the country, highlighting targeted investments in arts and music education:
The Orestiada Music Junior High
The 3rd Day High School of Kamatero (Athens)
The 4th Day High School of Polichni (Western Thessaloniki)
The Naoussa Art Junior High
The 2nd Day High School of Thira (based in Emporio, Santorini)
An Evening High School in Asimi (Heraklion, Crete) and a Day Junior High in Plakias (Rethymno, Crete).
Additionally, new high school upper-classes (lyceum classes) are being added to existing specialized tracks in Western Lesvos (Music), Igoumenitsa (Music), Argolis (Art), and Corinth (Evening school) so students can complete their diplomas within the same specialized systems.
Hundreds of schools closed in Greece
Last year, Greece announced that for the 2025-2026 academic year, 721 out of 13,478 schools will be suspended for failing to meet the minimum student requirement, a figure that has been rising for years.
A school is suspended if it has fewer than fifteen students. After three years of not meeting this requirement, the school is permanently closed. According to ministry officials who have called the situation “Armageddon,” the closures reflect a “terrifying” and worsening demographic problem. The closures force students, especially those in remote areas, to travel long distances, sometimes up to 50 miles (80 km) a day, to attend a new school.
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