A sharp reduction in the number of teachers seconded to public bodies is drawing strong criticism from universities and cultural institutions, which warn of staffing shortages and operational strain ahead of the new academic year.
The Education Ministry has cut teacher temporary assignments by nearly 30%, saying the move is intended to return educators to classrooms to address persistent gaps.
According to ministry data, temporary assignments fell from 3,444 in 2024-25 to 3,272 in 2025-26, with a further drop to 2,290 planned for 2026-27.
Officials said the policy is part of broader efforts to strengthen school staffing and improve efficiency, noting reductions across institutions, including the Church of Greece. However, universities and public bodies say the cuts threaten essential services.
Greek pedagogical departments warned of disruption to teacher training, saying some programs received no temporary staff despite supervising large cohorts of students. They described temporary teachers as vital links between universities and schools.
