Safety for students and protection of the environment is a strategic priority for government, announcing the supply of 706 new electric and hybrid school buses.

The ambitious plan was unveiled by the Minister of Education, Sofia Zacharaki, at an inter-ministerial press conference, highlighting the importance of the resources of the Social Climate Fund (CCF) to support education and accessibility.

This intervention is part of a broader set of actions presented by top government officials, including State Minister Akis Skertos, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Konstantinos Kyranakis, and the Minister of Social Cohesion, Domna Michaelidou. The focus was on strengthening social cohesion and supporting people with disabilities.

Sofia Zacharaki announced the procurement of 706 new electric or hybrid school buses, with a total budget of 219 million euros, for the transport of students with disabilities. The programme is expected to cover up to 70% of transport needs, serving around 11,000 students, with priority given to urban, island and remote areas. At the same time, the development of a digital transport monitoring platform is planned, with respect for personal data.

As the minister stressed, “with the inclusion in the Social Climate Fund of the project for the supply of new electric or hybrid school buses, we are ensuring the daily transport of 11,000 students, covering most of their needs. We start from Athens and Thessaloniki and expand nationwide, so that access to school is not a barrier for any child. We therefore envisage the supply of electric or hybrid school buses, specially adapted for people with disabilities, installation at charging stations in schools and municipal areas as deemed necessary after a preliminary study, and of course the development of a digital platform for monitoring the vehicles.”

The three changes

According to Sofia Zacharaki, this initiative is part of an overall strategy for a fairer, more inclusive school based on three changes:

  • The strengthening of school structures
  • In the strengthening of school human resources
  • In the redesign of the CEDS with a single digital platform and modern tools for timely and reliable support for every child.

“For us, access to education is not a convenience – it is a right, with the same expectations for every child, regardless of their starting point,” the Education Minister said.

Sofia Zacharaki stressed that the goal is “support to reach the child and not the child seeking support”, noting that in recent years, significant interventions have been implemented in both general and special education. In particular, he referred to the establishment of eight new special schools in the last year, with the total number now standing at 499, while for the 2026-2027 school year, the establishment of 11 more school units across the country is planned. Also, the minister said, of the 430 schools renovated through the Marietta Giannakou programme, 29 are special schools, with emphasis on accessibility and improving the conditions of attendance for all students.

The minister also placed special emphasis on strengthening human resources, with 8.905 appointments of teachers in special education from 2020 to date, as well as the creation of 600 new positions for Psychologists and 600 Social Workers.

Regarding CEDS, the Minister referred to the need to speed up procedures, setting the goal of significantly reducing the waiting time for consultations through the strengthening of staff and the creation of a new digital platform, which will be operational from September.

He made special reference to the establishment of joint actions with the Ministry of Health to support students with chronic diseases, and the creation of a new regulatory framework for special education after 19 years.

Sofia Zacharaki concluded her intervention by reaffirming the State’s commitment to equal treatment of all citizens, stressing that targeted actions and available financial tools strengthen an inclusive education policy that meets the needs of modern society: “Every citizen is treated equally, the State often admits the negligence or implementation difficulties and comes up with targeted actions and with many financial tools to which the Social Climate Fund is added, which treats society exactly the way it deserves.”

The press conference was also attended by the Secretary General for Coordination, Evi Dramalioti, the Secretary General for Social Solidarity and Poverty Alleviation, Constantine Megaritis, the Secretary General for Transport, Stelios Sakaretsios, the President of the National Accessibility Authority, Stelios Kympouropoulos, the representative of an association of people with disabilities, Korina Theodorakaki, and the member of the Special Scientific Committee on Autism, Marina Moschovou.

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