The Minister of Education, Prodromos Prodromou, presented on Friday in a press conference the measures to support schools in mountainous and remote areas, the measures for the prevention and treatment of functional illiteracy and the measures for the smooth transition from Primary to High School.
Measures to Support Schools in Mountainous and Remote Areas
The Minister stated that in the three-teacher enhanced primary schools (with 30-38 students) it was decided to increase the teaching time from 100-105 teaching periods. There will be an increase in the teaching time of Greek from the 1st to the 4th grade and an increase in the teaching time of Mathematics in the 6th grade. In the same context, he noted that about 6 full-time teachers will be employed for this purpose.
In addition, he pointed out that for schools that have one or more class complexes with a number of students 14-15 (10 schools in total) additional teaching periods will be granted and will be strengthened. According to the Minister, 15 teaching periods will be granted in each complex with a number of children 14-20, meaning that in the complexes of two classes with a number of students 14-16 the number of children in one class is at least 6. In addition, he stated that the complexes for teaching the main courses, so that we have a better education.
For this purpose, he added that 6 additional full-time teachers will be available.
He added, in addition, that these schools will be given the right – after consultations with the school management, teachers, Parents' Associations and Local Authorities – to modify school hours during the winter months.
He also said that the Ministry wants to give incentives to teachers who want to work in these schools for at least 5 years.
Prevention and Treatment of Functional Illiteracy through a literacy enhancement program
The Minister said that based on research it is found that there is a percentage in the third grade of primary school that has a risk of illiteracy in Greek and Mathematics. For the previous school year it was a percentage of around 7% in both Greek and Mathematics. Individually in Greek this percentage was 13% and only in Mathematics 12%.
About the same percentage, he noted, we find in the measurements that are made for the 6th grade of primary school. In the last school year, he noted, a percentage of 5% had a risk of illiteracy in both Mathematics and Greek, while in Greek alone it was 11% and in Mathematics 9%.
Mr. Prodromou said that some reinforcement / intervention is needed for the children to continue their school career, while special emphasis should be given to students with immigrant biographies and children who have difficulties because they entered primary school at the age of less than 6 years.
Indicatively, he mentioned that the next school year 2021-22 is completed, the change of the age of admission in the first grade and the children will enter the Primary School at the age of more than 6 years, a new program of learning the Greek language is implemented for children with immigrant biography, begins with cooperation academic, a program for the early identification of children at risk of illiteracy from the primary school and additional teaching periods of supplementary teaching are provided in schools with high percentages of children at risk of illiteracy.
From the school year 2021 – 2022 there will be remedial teaching with an assistant teacher in the classroom in 90 Primary schools that will participate in the co-financed program DRASE, improvement of the quality of teaching Greek and Mathematics courses, proposal for extension of compulsory Pre-Primary Education from the age of 4 and monitoring the learning process of each child, from Pre-Primary to High School.
Smooth Transition of Students from Elementary to High School
Mr. Prodromou stated that the interdepartmental Committee for the Smooth Transition from Primary to High School has been re-established at the Ministry and the complete Action Plan for actions for this school year and for the continuation will be submitted by March 15.
This design concerns both the familiarization of the children with the procedures of the Gymnasium from the year they will be in the 6th grade. He stated that the ambition is to have a month of adjustment with parallel suggestions for repetitions and practice in basic cognitive skills.
The goal is, as will be done at all levels of repetition, in the 6th grade to better organize the familiarization with the area of the Gymnasium with joint actions between Primary and Secondary Schools.
Source: KYPE
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