Excellence Without Equity? A Policy-Practice Critical Analysis of the Greek Education System

Authors

  • Giannis Themelis Ministry of Education, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16557007

Keywords:

educational excellence, social justice, Greek education, inequality, education policy, teacher quality, model schools

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between educational excellence and social justice within the Greek education system. The study argues that true excellence is unattainable in environments marked by inequality. Through a comparative analysis of seven indicators, the paper reveals significant discrepancies between official policy and classroom reality. Findings indicate that systemic issues, such as resource inequality and outdated materials, undermine meritocracy and equal opportunity. The study concludes that for Greece to achieve genuine educational excellence, its policies must be reframed to prioritize justice and equity, ensuring that all students have a fair chance to succeed.

References

Artinopoulou, V., Babalis, T., & Nikolopoulos, V. (2016). Panellínia érevna gia tin endoscholikí vía kai ton ekfovismó stin protováthmia kai defterováthmia ekpaídefsi. Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs.

Gkouskou, A., & Sfakianaki, E. (2023). Principals’ perceptions of the teacher and school evaluation system in Greece. European Journal of Educational Management, 6(2), 65–78.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.

Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077

MacLeod, W. B., & Urquiola, M. (2009). Anti-lemons: School reputation and educational quality (NBER Working Paper No. 15112). National Bureau of Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w15112

Matthews, P., & Smith, G. (1995). OFSTED: Inspecting schools and improvement through inspection. Cambridge Journal of Education, 25(1), 23–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764950250103

Nikolopoulou, A. (2020). Τα δημόσια σχολεία γονεϊκής επιλογής στην Ελλάδα: ταυτότητα, κοινωνική σύνθεση, δημόσιος και ιδιωτικός λόγο, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens]. National Archive of PhD Theses (EADD). https://doi.org/10.12681/eadd/47906

OECD. (2020). Education Policy Outlook in Greece (OECD Education Policy Perspectives, No. 17). OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/f10b95cf-en

Sianou Kyrgiou, E. (2021). The “new managerialism” in Greek schools: A critical analysis of the legislative framework for evaluation. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 49(5), 789–805. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220945763

Themelis, G. (2022). Interpreting the statistics of eTwinning: European Quality Label. International Journal of Educational Innovation, 4(2), 5–15. journal.eepek.gr

Tsotrou, A., & Tsiolis, G. (2024). The evaluation of teachers in Greece under Law 4823/21: Between bureaucratic compliance and professional development. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 36(1), 89–110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-023-09425-7

Downloads

Published

2025-07-20