The durability and adaptability of the educational process during crisis, the importance of cultivating skills, the utilization of technology and the use of artificial intelligence in education, as well as the extroversion of Greek universities, were on the agenda of interventions and discussions by the Minister of Education Sofia Zacharakiwithin the framework of the Council of Ministers of Education of the European Union in Brussels.
“The Greek government believes and invests significant resources in the upgrading of public education in order to gain resistance and adaptability to challenges and dangers. We utilize modern pedagogical methods, enhance our digital infrastructure through Digital School, and provide targeted training to our teachers, “said, among other things. Zacharakiin its recommendation.
The Minister informed her counterparts that through the skill laboratories that are universally applied to all levels of compulsory education, skills are enhanced, with an emphasis on environmental education, the use and utilization of digital media and the active citizenship.
In more detail, he said: “Greece welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to set up the” Skills Union “, recognizing the significant role it has played to enhance Europe’s competitiveness through the enhancement of skills, the strengthening of which can not only concern employment and competitiveness and competitiveness. In order for children to grow up in an interaction environment, with interest in learning and preparation for challenges, now and in the future. For this reason, synergies between the European Training Area (EEA) and the Skill Union are essential».
Referring to national policies that enhance the development of necessary skills, Sofia Zacharakis gave some of the relevant reforms:
- The launch of compulsory preschool education in 4 years, launching the foundations for the development of basic skills from a very young age.
- Skills Labs, which have now been incorporated at all levels of compulsory education, have supported over 1.3 million students in the cultivation of social skills, life skills and SEM skills through exploratory and interdisciplinary activities. A policy implemented on the basis of an initiative it had taken as Deputy Minister of Education in 2021.
- Upgraded curricula with modern learning methodologies by incorporating digital tools, which emphasize computational thinking and planning from the first grades of elementary school.
- The creation of the iconic Digital School platform, a single gate that unifies all online services and digital educational content, thereby promoting digital literacy and self -directed learning.
- Skills4life has introduced an innovative theme bank, designed to link school knowledge to their practical application to real challenges and daily requirements.
In support of the modernization of vocational education and training, as the Minister said, 15 Experimental and Thematic Schools of Higher Vocational Training (SAEK) were established for the pilot implementation of innovative training programs. In addition, the training drivers were recently updated, including those in the STEM sectors, and enriched 376 vocational training and training laboratories with the appropriate, modern laboratory equipment.
“Basic skills are not limited to STEMs,” as Ms Zacharakis pointed out, “but include citizenship, critical thinking and cultivating our common European democratic values. To this end, we have introduced the new program of “Active Citizen Actions” at all levels of 1st Education and Secondary Education. Structured around the UN Sustainable Development Objectives, this initiative aims to enhance the political consciousness, responsibility and action of students. “
At the same time, as Mrs Zacharakis pointed out: “We are investing in the psychosocial support of students by doubling the number of psychologists and social workers in schools since 2019, and the decision to limit the use of mobile phones in schools is already being implemented. Since September 2024, mobile phones are not allowed in all Greek schools, with strict exceptions related to students’ health and safety. “
Finally, the Council also occupied higher education and in particular the creation of a common European degree.
“With national resources and funds from the recovery and resilience fund, we finance, strengthen and encourage the extroversion of Greek universities with great foreign universities,” Ms. Zacharakis said. “A few days ago we even increased by € 20m by funding for the organization of innovative Joint Master or Dual Master. The number of proposals submitted was impressive, after 132 and 63 were approved.
These are common postgraduate degrees that are not already provided by public educational institutions and you realize how much our students’ choices and capabilities are expanded. As I mentioned at the Rectors’ Summit by responding to their own request, we will exhaust any financial opportunity to further support the opening of our universities in the world, with even more proposals. “
On the sidelines of the Council, the Minister of Education of Greece held a meeting with the Executive Vice President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Employment and Readibility, Roxana Minzatu, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Education Helen McEnte, and the Minister of Education, Sciences and Sports of Lithuania, Raminta Popoviene. At the same time, Sofia Zacharakis met with Swedish Minister of Education, Lotta Edholm, as well as the Minister of State, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Research by France, Elizabeth Borne (Elisabeth).