ATHENS — "This year will be different and with many innovations," Education Minister Niki Kerameus said on Friday, ahead of the start of the school year on September 13.

Among others, the minister referred to the Skills Workshops planned for all kindergartens, primary and secondary schools in the country, with new thematic subjects, particularly English, which will be introduced in kindergartens as well. In addition, there will be double the number of model and experimental schools relative to the previous year, including the six model vocational lyceums and the pilot introduction of 123 new subject study programmes in general education.

Kerameus said that there have been 11,700 additional permanent appointments in general education, after the 4,500 hired for Special Education the previous year. "We are continuing horizontal additional training, while we are proceeding with the digital transformation of skills – equipment/infrastructure – services," she explained.

She emphasised that online learning, though it had played a valuable role for the last year and a half, could never replace learning through physical attendance in a classroom, with the right protection measures, such as vaccination, frequent testing, masking and observing the measures.