Drop-out phenomenon Drop-out phenomenon and good practices in and good practices in

GreeceGreece

Penelope StathakopoulosPenelope StathakopoulosManaging Director of IEKEPManaging Director of IEKEP

30.05/0830.05/08

The Greek Educational System

Drop-out ratesDrop-out rates

•Gymnasium : 6,09%

•General Lyceum : 3,32%

•Vocational Lyceum : 28,82%

Source: Ministry of Employment and Social

Protection

DROPPING OUT IN GYMNASIUM ACROSS GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS DROPPING OUT IN GYMNASIUM ACROSS GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS ((Pupil generationPupil generation 2000-01) 2000-01)

Source: Pedagogical Institute Source: Pedagogical Institute , 2005, 2005

DROPPING OUT IN GENERAL LYCEUM ACROSS GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS DROPPING OUT IN GENERAL LYCEUM ACROSS GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS ((Pupil generationPupil generation 2000-01) 2000-01)

Source: Pedagogical Institute Source: Pedagogical Institute , 2005, 2005

Major Reasons For Major Reasons For Dropping Out Of SchoolDropping Out Of School

•Social, economic, family pressures to abandon school

•School failure

Source: Ministry of Employment and Social

Protection

Whatever the reasons , however:

•The decision to drop out of school is not an instant decision but the outcome of a long procedure

•Low performance and the dislike/rejection of school starts a long time before the young person decides to abandon school

Source: Ministry of Employment and Social

Protection

Disadvantaged Young Disadvantaged Young People in GreecePeople in Greece

• Roma • Repatriated ethnic Greeks • Immigrants • Refugees • Cultural and Religious Minorities • Inhabitants of mountainous & remote regions • Juvenile delinquents • Addicts and ex addicts of drugs• Individuals with disability• Individuals with mental illness • HIV positive patients

Source: Ministry of Employment and Social

Protection

Characteristics of Characteristics of Disadvantaged Young People Disadvantaged Young People

in Greecein Greece

• Lack of basic skills & competencies, due to early school leaving or early language deficiencies

• Deficiencies: mental, physical or psychological

• Delinquent Behaviour

• Social Isolation: no contact with the institutions and actions that meet their needs

Source: Greek Manpower Employment Organization

Causes that provoke Causes that provoke DisadvantageDisadvantage

• Low socio-economic level of the region, area, district

• Low socio-economic and educational level of the parents

• Educational System not flexible resulting in: – Low performance – Drop outs

• Living in areas where access to school is extremely difficult

Causes that provoke Causes that provoke DisadvantageDisadvantage

• Parental negligence

• Parental prejudices concerning the necessity of school(minorities, rural areas)

• Teenage pregnancies

• Need to contribute to family income

• Other natural deficits

Policy GapPolicy Gap• Absence of a coordinated educational

system

• Absence of qualitative vocational guidance and support

• Limited connection of education with the labour market

• Absence of an organised transition system from Education to the labour market

• The educational and social system ignores the disadvantaged youth

Policy RequirementPolicy Requirement

• Vocational guidance for re-integrating young people

• Empowerment & training programs

Operating PoliciesOperating Policies

• Second Chance Schools

• Support Teaching

• Foreign & Minority Schools

• Evening Education

Second Chance Schools Second Chance Schools

• Target Group: 18 years old and above

• Curriculum: incorporates principles of Lifelong Learning

• Pedagogical method: individualized relation of student-teacher

Support TeachingSupport Teaching

• Operates in all upper-secondary education

• Service is free of charge and open to all students

• Aim: to assist students who need help in order to improve school performance

Foreign &Foreign & Minority Minority SchoolsSchools

• Foreign schools :– Operate 10 in Greece– Open to all nationalities

• Minority Schools: – For Muslim minority– For the Roma/ Gypsies

Evening EducationEvening Education• There are evening school equivalents for all

types of secondary education schools– 120 evening lower secondary schools

(Gymnasio)– 43 evening upper secondary schools

(Lykeion)

• Designed for working students– Aged 14-18 – Adults who had dropped out school

• In the 1950’s they were institutionalized to combat illiteracy (80% of population)

• Courses last one year longer