institution Model and experimental schools earned the trust of his parents. This is evidenced by the large and growing demand for their positions. This year, the number of applications for 4,442 standard and experimental positions, including church schools, exceeded 20,000. The current flourishing of the experimental and standard schools builds on the heritage of the respective schools, which were founded in 2011 but abolished in 2015, and is due, in part, to good teaching staff, educational innovation, and a safe school environment.

In particular, Exemplary Schools are units of public secondary education (gymnasiums and gymnasiums) whose purpose is to cultivate and disseminate the idea and practice of excellence in the education system, as well as to identify and encourage students with talents and special learning abilities. that are entered in the exams. Experimental schools are divisions at both levels whose purpose is to support experimentation and pilot educational innovation in education system, according to a random sample of the student population introduced into them by means of an electronic lottery. In addition, the goal is to familiarize students and graduate students with the teaching of individual subjects in cooperation with the departments and schools of the university and the Institute for Educational Policy (IEP).

“Parental interest is very high because the permanent teachers are highly academically qualified,” he noted. talked to “K” yesterday RS. Contour Gifts, philologist of the 1st Experimental General Lyceum Amarusi, who also worked in the Athens Standard. Her school has students from Thracomakedonas as well as from Sepolia, which indicates the interest of parents. “In these schools, the teacher has the freedom to experiment, educational programs are organized, and teachers are motivated to do so because they have a shorter working day. Something that other schools don’t. A calm atmosphere reigns here without interruption of the educational process. Schools also have partnerships with European ones, which broadens the horizons of students,” adds Ms. Kuntura. At the same time, students in the Standard and Experimental Schools study at a different level than in the district schools, since the first students are admitted on the basis of examinations (in linguistics and mathematics), and in the Experimental Schools – by lottery.

The current system is based on the system created in 2011 during Anna Diamantopoulou’s ministry. The Model and Experimental Schools (MPS), when they were established in 2011, were a project for high-level teaching and excellence in public schools in Greece. However, since 2015, by the decision of the then Minister of Education Aristidis Baltas and his deputy responsible for this issue, Thassos Kourakis, the work was canceled, since approximately 60 teaching staff with a form and philosophy that were created in 2011 were abolished. . In their place, five Exemplary Schools and 55 Experimental Schools were established. However, during Kostas Gavroglu’s ministry, regulations were passed that were thought to “contaminate” standard and experimental schools with the negative characteristics of mainstream schools: the persistence of teachers and their lack of evaluation.

Characteristically, although they have important academic qualifications, Standard and Pilot School teachers have been assessed since as far back as 2014, which has provoked a reaction from parents in Standard and Pilot Schools who demand that FSP teachers be assessed so that schools can maintain their quality characteristics. .

“Parental interest is very high because the permanent teachers have high academic qualifications,” philologist Dora Kuntura tells K.

In the context of a page change to strengthen the institution from 62 model and experimental schools in 2019, they reached 120 in 2022, and from next year, in accordance with the current institutional structure and relevant jurisprudence, they are added by decision Ministry of Education 18 more new schools that will operate in a new status from September 2024.

“They remain attractive, but do not lose sight of their problems, mainly related to the teaching staff, which is no longer motivated, and the gaps are filled by substitutes. Teachers are motivated to their difficult work only by their personal passion”, observes Mr. Kostas Kontogiannis in “K”.who was the director of a well-known private school in the country, as well as an exemplary high school in Athens.

This year there has been an important change in student selection system, who will now be able to apply to three schools: two Standard and one Experimental. In the case of choosing two Standards, the order of preference is declared on the application platform, and in case of simultaneous success in the Standard and the Experiment, the choice must be made by the parent. In fact, mini-informatics has been created for students.

However, the exams that students take for admission to Standard high schools and in several positions Standard high schools created a new field for textbooks. The relevant ministry decision states that this is a skill test with multiple choice questions. The language tests students’ skills in understanding written texts of various genres and content (fiction texts, simple newspaper or magazine articles, polymodal texts, etc.), as well as in using basic grammatical and syntactic phenomena. Mathematics tests the skills of understanding and solving problems, mainly from everyday life, as well as problems with simple arithmetic operations. “Questions involve multiple choice and evaluate student composition. If he understands the text, if he can write, read, mathematical numbers. Nothing special. The candidate does not need tutoring.” Mr. Georgios Tombras explained “K”.president of the steering committee of model and experimental schools, professor of physics at the University of Athens.

Preparation

Such as said K. an experienced physicist and guardian G. Georgios Hatzitegas, student preparation starts at the beginning of the year – some children, of course, start it later – and the cost varies from 150 to 200 euros per month for 4-5 hours per week. However, since the last two years the exams are held at the end of April – beginning of May (from the end of June), in the last two months, several tutoring schools add hours of classes and, thus, the cost rises to 250 euros. Including practice tests. In this regard, many students have chosen private lessons. According to reports, an hour costs between 15 and 20 euros, and towards the end, children also participate in 2-3 simulations organized by some tutoring schools. They cost between 35 and 40 euros each. Although the IEP states that tutoring is not required to pass the standards entrance exams, exam fever and high competition for places fuel tutoring.

Standard and experimental high schools and high schools in Greece

120 total schools, of which 83 are experimental at both levels and 37 are standard gymnasiums and secondary schools.

20 018 this year, 4,442 standard and experimental positions were applied for, including church schools.

15 new Experimental and 3 Standards have been established in the country.

9146 students study according to the standards and 11,092 people according to the experimental ones.

1125 teachers work full-time in standard and 1103 in experimental.

POINT OF VIEW

They enhance extroversion, have vision and goals

Haidos Kallitzaki*

Why standards? Because these are public schools that strive to provide the best possible education for students with high academic goals, while encouraging the development of certain aptitudes, skills and interests.

Because they have room for autonomy through the ability of their scientific review boards to recommend reform of the analytics or timetable for research programs, creative groups, interscholastic activities and collaborations, and participation in school networks.

Because, along with traditional teaching methods, they apply modern methods and practices, innovative teaching offerings and pedagogical approaches, while being able to implement pilot projects, evaluate and propose modifications to new curricula before rolling them out to other schools.

Because the teachers who work there on a permanent or seconded basis have their scientific and pedagogical training assessed so that they can meet the requirements of specific schools.

Because they enhance extroversion and the school’s connection to the community.

Because they make full use of the allocated study time, set goals from the beginning of the year, plan them, implement them, evaluate their achievements and, if necessary, reschedule.

Because these are schools with a vision that meet today’s challenges, focusing on students.

* Ms. Haido Kallitzaki is a philologist and director of the 2nd Model Gymnasium in Athens.