Early than any other year, the Ministerial Decision for posting 156 teachers to schools abroad for the school years 2026-2027, 2027-2028 and 2028-2029, as well as for the calendar years 2027, 2028 and 2029 in the Southern Hemisphere.

According to the announcement by the Ministry of Education, this year’s decision was issued significantly earlier than in other years in order to ensure that teachers on secondment are informed about the country and their placement unit in good time and can go through the required procedures. At the same time, the Education Coordinators will be able to organise, in time, the placement of teachers in their countries of responsibility, ensuring the uninterrupted operation of the school units abroad from the beginning of the new school year.

The Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sport, Sofia Zacharaki, said. Something that did not happen by chance, but through intensive effort, with respect for teachers, their families and our children in every corner of the world.”

As he pointed out, teachers now know earlier where they will serve, education coordinators can organise placements in good time and schools abroad now have the prerequisites for their smooth and uninterrupted operation from the first bell. As he noted, the above comes in continuation of the “substantial support” of Greek-language education abroad: with free delivery of thousands of textbooks, recognition of new Greek Language Departments, solutions to housing issues of Greek schools and significant institutional interventions in favour of teachers and the better functioning of education structures.

“Greek-language education abroad is a national priority. It is the bridge that unites the younger generations with Greece. That is why we continue our efforts with a clear goal: to make every Greek family of the Diaspora, every student and every teacher feel that the homeland is by their side in a substantial and stable way,” the Education Minister stressed.

The data of the Ministry of Education

In order to preserve, cultivate and internationalise the Greek language and culture, Greek-language education is addressed to citizens not only of the Greek diaspora but also of the whole world. According to the data of the Ministry of Education, there are currently 745 seconded teachers serving abroad, covering the needs of more than 41,000 students of Greek-language education abroad.

Parallel: – 57 Greek-only schools are operating; – 149 Greek Language Departments are supported; and – 30 university chairs of Greek studies are supported.

For the current school year, more than 145,000 textbooks have been printed free of charge for the needs of educational units abroad, while the Ministry is already proceeding with the timely printing of textbooks for the next school year.

Temporary interventions for the modernization of Greek-language education abroad

In the framework of the strategy for the strengthening of Greek-language education abroad, during the term of office of the Minister, Sofia Zacharaki, four (4) additional Greek Language and Culture Departments were recognized : – “The Greek Language of Yerevan” in Armenia, – “The Greek School of Wales – Hellenic School of Wales” in the United Kingdom, – the Department of Greek Language “Nagold Baden-Württemberg” in Germany, – and the Department of Greek Language “Aix-en-Provence” in France.

In addition, particular emphasis was placed on solving chronic housing problems of Greek schools abroad. More specifically, the solution for the housing of the Hellenic School of Munich was finalised, with the signing of a ten-year (10 years) lease agreement for the property at Max Diamant Strasse 7, with the possibility of renewal for another ten years. The new building, which was handed over on 15/12/2025, covers the needs of 196 primary school pupils and 129 secondary school pupils, while similar housing solutions were also provided for the Düsseldorf and Dortmund districts.

At the same time, the Ministry of Education announced that it will proceed with institutional interventions to modernise Greek-language education abroad. According to the relevant press release, in the coming months the positions of Coordinators of Education Abroad will be advertised, while the legislative framework for their selection has already been reformed and modernised. Furthermore, satisfying a long-standing demand of teachers serving abroad, the payment of the special expatriation allowance was ensured also during the 5th year of posting and even retroactively for those already in that year.