Greece’s secondary schools are starting the new academic year with more than 10,000 teacher vacancies, despite the Education Ministry’s appointment of 29,948 substitute teachers, the country’s secondary teachers’ union said.
Andreas Kargopoulos, president of the Federation of Secondary School Teachers of Greece (OLME), said about 46,000 substitute teachers worked last year, while more than 5,000 teachers retired.
With 30,000 substitutes appointed in the first round this year, he estimated the remaining shortfall at more than 10,000 teachers.
Kargopoulos said the biggest gap is in general secondary education, where 6,000 to 7,000 positions may remain unfilled.
Last year, 8,200 substitute teachers worked in the sector, while 2,588 teachers retired and only 910 permanent appointments were made.
