The new school season starts today in Greece with over half a million primary school students, and an equal number of junior and senior high school pupils attending the traditional sanctification across the country. Despite reassurances by the Education Ministry that this year will be problem-free, as all the substitute teachers have been appointed on time and the prescribed books have been delivered, there are still over 6,000 vacancies that need filing, according to the Teachers’ union of OLME, a number disputed by the Ministry. Education Minister Konstantinos Gavroglou will visit the Perdika Primary School in Aegina for the sanctification, while the leaders of the Greek political parties will attend schools in the urban centres to offer their wishes for a “good year”. The Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos will attend the sanctification of the 3rd Primary School of Agioi Anargyroi, while the President of New Democracy Kyriakos Mitsotakis will visit the 6th Primary School of Acharnes, where a student was killed by a stray bullet in summer.