Sofia Zacharaki presented in Istanbul the strategic transformation of education to bring out the talent of the new generations.

Greece was at the centre of the international debate on the future of learning, with Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Sofia Zacharaki, analysing the national plan for skills.

During the OECD (OECD Skills Summit 2026), hosted in Istanbul on 27-28 April 2026, the Greek Minister explained how the country is pursuing the overarching transformation of the education system.

The central theme of this year’s event, “Unlocking intergenerational talent”, triggered a deep analysis on the challenges of the modern era. Ms Zacharaki placed particular emphasis on the need to adapt educational programmes to the demands of the labour market, while ensuring knowledge transfer between different age groups.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Education, Ms Zacharaki in her statement stressed that demographic developments, technological progress and the green transition are radically transforming both the skills required and the way we learn and work, underlining that “education is no longer a phase of life, but a continuous journey of learning and adaptation”.

Referring to the challenges, she noted that the results of international assessments highlight the need to strengthen key skills such as text comprehension, maths and digital literacy, and pointed to the high proportion of young people out of education, training or employment.

In this context, he said that Greece is moving forward with a coherent and evidence-based reform agenda, in close cooperation with the OECD and the European Commission, with the central point being the implementation of the recent study “Improving Learning Outcomes in Greece” and the parallel conduct of a structured National Dialogue on the future of the Lyceum.

She noted that at the core of the reform is the introduction of the National Baccalaureate, which aims to modernise curricula and assessment, strengthen the coherence between educational pathways and the link with higher education, the labour market and lifelong learning.

Ms. Zacharaki in her speech referred in detail to the new curricula, the integration of Artificial Intelligence in education, the cultivation of social and digital skills through and by the Skills Workshops, the new Strategic Plan for Vocational Education and Training and Lifelong Learning 2025-2027, the use of European tools, such as the STEP (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform) programme, for the development of skills in cutting-edge areas, as well as the support of teachers through training.

Special mention was made by Ms Zacharaki on the operation of the Digital Tutoring Centre, as well as on the challenges arising from the demographic issue.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Minister held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, Tomáš Drucker, on the exchange of good educational policies in the field of skills.

Also, he met with the OECD Director for Education and Skills, Andreas Schleicher, discussing the possibilities for optimal use of the findings of the “Education Policy Review: Improving Learning Outcomes in Greece”.

During her visit to Istanbul, Minister Sofia Zacharaki visited the Phanar, where she was received by the Ecumenical Patriarch, His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch. Bartholomew, whom she informed about the Government’s initiative to immediately institutionalize the institution of the clergy of the Diaspora, aiming at the continuous support of the Presbyterian Patriarchates and the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine of Mount Sinai.

Mrs. Zacharaki described the new institution as “a very important initiative” of the Greek government, “which comes to support the Presbyterian Patriarchates and the Sinai Monastery.”

As the minister stressed, a broader framework of support for the Patriarchates is being created, with the new law expected next month, and noted that “the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem will be informed about this new initiative by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.”

She announced that the relevant bill will be posted for public consultation and ultimately its passage in June.

Mrs. Zacharaki reiterated her respect for the ecumenical ministry and offer of the Primitive Church of Orthodoxy, stressing that the Greek State has over time stood by the multidimensional work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

For his part, His Holiness thanked the Minister for the undiminished interest of the Greek Government and personally of His Holiness herself in the issues within her competence that concern the Mother Church, but also the Homogeneity of the City, Imbros and Tenedos.

Sophia Zacharaki also met with the Deputy Coordinator of Education, Dimitra Vourdoglou. At the end of the meeting, Ms. Zacharaki referred to the strengthening of Greek-language education abroad, with emphasis on the support provided to the expatriate community, as well as to the government’s decision to extend the special supplement to teachers abroad to the 5th year of service.

At the same time, the Minister reiterated her commitment to the timely announcement of secondments, as early as the 2026-2027 school year, and to the dispatch of textbooks to schools abroad.

“Every year the Ministry sends thousands of copies of books around the world as soon as possible and after we have resolved the issue of the timely placement of our teachers, the most important chapter,” the Minister said, stressing that more than 750 teachers are posted annually, with the aim of supporting Greek education in the diaspora.

At the same time, she stressed the importance of better coordination and training of teachers who are to serve abroad.