The number of university graduates seeking teaching jobs in Greece’s public schools has dropped sharply, with applications to the national civil service board falling by more than 16,000 over three years – from 152,278 in 2023 to 136,059 this year.
Low salaries are the primary driver. Starting pay of roughly €800-900 per month, combined with postings far from home, makes the profession unattractive, said Nikos Fasfalis, an elected representative of Greece’s primary teachers’ federation. “How are they supposed to get by, especially when they’re placed in schools far from where they come from, and housing costs are crushing?” he said. Fasfalis also cited the profession’s eroding social status.
The shortage is serious enough that the Education Ministry has resorted to rehiring retired teachers to fill vacancies. Meanwhile, the teacher workforce is rapidly aging, with two-thirds of secondary school teachers over 50.
