Applications from graduates who want to become teachers in Greece are declining. According to ASEP data, 136,059 applications for public-sector teaching positions were submitted this year, 16,219 fewer than in 2023.
The main reason is financial, as the starting salary ranges between €800 and €900, while many young people prefer to pursue careers in the private sector, according to Kathimerini.
“With starting salaries of around €800–900, it is understandable that many graduates do not want to enter the education sector. How are they supposed to make ends meet, especially when they are assigned to schools far from their hometowns and housing costs are overwhelming?” Nikos Fasfalis, elected representative of the Greek Teachers’ Federation (DOE) on the Ministry of Education’s Central Service Council for Primary Education, told Kathimerini.
In secondary education, only around one-fifth (22.5%) of applicants for public school teaching positions are under the age of 30.
“Of course, there is also the social devaluation of the profession. The issue is very serious for the future of education,” he added. He noted that in recent years the Ministry of Education has been forced to hire retired teachers in some areas through local recruitment calls.
The decline in applications from younger teachers has resulted in two-thirds of public school teachers being over 50 years old, while only 6.5% are between 30 and 39 years old. In secondary education, moreover, only around one-fifth (22.5%) of applicants for public school teaching positions are under the age of 30.
Πηγή: Καθημερινή
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