By May, certification of the first 13 public schools in which the International Baccalaureate (IB) will be introduced is expected, with the aim of starting the program in September. This provision is included in the multi-bill of the Ministry of Education, which was submitted today for discussion before the Committee on Cultural Affairs of the Parliament.

The multi-bill, titled “Establishment of the Higher School of Performing Arts, creation of a new category of Artistic Education positions, framework for the operation of Higher Schools of Artistic Education and Higher Schools of Music Education and other provisions” by the Ministry of Education, includes interventions at all levels of education—from primary to tertiary and artistic education—as well as in related administrative and professional structures.

Among the provisions attracting particular interest are the introduction of the International Baccalaureate (IB) in public schools and the establishment of the Higher School of Performing Arts, an initiative aiming to upgrade artistic studies institutionally in the country. Another important point is the regulation for the State Language Certificate, which is part of the broader effort to upgrade high school education.

However, it is noted that the much-discussed regulation on the equivalence of degrees for about 400,000 graduates of the former Technological Educational Institutes (TEI) is absent from this bill. According to the Minister of Education, Sophia Zacharaki, the issue remains under review and will be discussed at the next cabinet meeting. At the same time, a provision that would have allowed public employees to teach as adjunct instructors at universities has been withdrawn.

Regarding the IB

“For the first time, we are moving from theoretical provision to practice by integrating the International Baccalaureate into public schools with clear terms and a specific timeline. Certification of the first 13 schools is expected by May, with the goal of starting the program in September 2026. I consider this an important step towards an even more outward-looking, modern, and high-quality public education system. And of course, no discussion is taking place regarding IB entry into public universities. In the country’s public universities, admission is only through the Panhellenic Exams, and this is well known,” emphasized the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, Sophia Zacharaki, speaking to the responsible parliamentary committee.

“We are not introducing IB into public schools now as an unknown or new qualification. The International Baccalaureate has already been foreseen by law 2327/1995 as a qualification equivalent to the high school diploma. What we are doing today is something different and far more substantive. We are implementing this framework in public education with specific terms of organization, staffing, and certification,” the Minister noted.

It is reminded that thirteen candidate schools have already been selected in Athens, Thessaloniki, Volos, and Heraklion, and the relevant teacher training sessions have been conducted.

The 13 candidate schools are as follows:

ATTICA
Athens Music School
Gerakas Art School
Pallini Music School
Anavryta Model General Lyceum
Ag. Anargyroi Model General Lyceum
Varvakeio Model General Lyceum
Evangelical School of Smyrna Model General Lyceum
Ionideio Model General Lyceum

THESSALONIKI
1st Manolis Andronikos Model General Lyceum
University of Macedonia Experimental Lyceum
Thessaloniki Music School

VOLOS
Volos Music School

HERAKLION
Heraklion Model General Lyceum

According to the timeline, in April the application process for certification by the 13 schools will be completed and applications submitted. In May, certification visits to the schools are expected, and by the end of June, the final decisions of the International Baccalaureate Organization will be made. From September 2026, the certified schools are expected to begin operation.

The bill also includes provisions for student enrollment and staffing of classes, appointment of program coordinators, teacher allowances, and coverage of the cost of books, equipment, and examination fees for students.

Regarding the State Language Certificate

As part of the bill’s discussion, the introduction of a free digital State Language Certificate for students in the 3rd year of Gymnasium (junior high) is planned. For the first time, from the 2026–2027 school year, students of the 3rd year of Gymnasium will be able to participate free of charge in state exams via an electronic process for one of the four main European languages taught in school: English, French, German, or Italian.

As the Minister emphasized: “For the first time, students of the 3rd year of Gymnasium will be able to obtain, without any cost to their families, a reliable and recognized state language certificate. At the same time, we are developing the State Certificate into a modern, digital, and fully free language certification system, enhancing equal opportunities and the quality of public education. The new examination system introduces innovative assessment methods, as it is based on adaptive computer-based exams, utilizes unified and scientifically validated item banks, and is supported by a network of Electronic Examination Centers across the country.”

The introduction of the digital State Language Certificate is part of a broader system of reliable and tiered assessment of students’ knowledge and skills, directly linked to the National Diploma and contributing to the creation of a coherent and fair framework for evaluating and certifying the school journey.

The Minister highlighted: “With this new intervention, we make language learning more accessible, more reliable, and truly free for all children, substantially reinforcing the role of public schools. At the same time, we lay the foundation for the implementation of the National Diploma.”

Implementation will be gradual to ensure quality and reliability: the pilot phase will start at the end of 2026, generalized application in 2027, and full national rollout is planned by 2030.

Funding of €20.8 million from the National Development Program 2026–2030 has been secured for full implementation.

Sophia Zacharaki on the creation of the Higher School of Performing Arts: “We are realizing a 50-year vision and request, while also regulating artistic education with rules, continuity, and perspective.”

The establishment of the Higher School of Performing Arts provides, for the first time, a unified and clear framework for artistic education, with a hierarchy of qualifications and possibilities for academic advancement, the Minister emphasized in her speech during the first session of the Permanent Committee on Cultural Affairs of the Parliament, during the bill discussion.

According to Zacharaki, the Higher School of Performing Arts (HSPA), a fully autonomous public higher education institution with a specific purpose, is a historic milestone that responds to a long-standing request of the artistic community and aims to strengthen and upgrade artistic studies institutionally.

HSPA will offer studies at all levels (undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral), develop research activity, and integrate artistic practice at the core of the educational process. As Zacharaki said: “We are establishing an institution designed for the nature of the performing arts, organizing first, second, and third cycles of study, developing research, and providing pedagogical training and specialization. An institution where artistic practice and skill are recognized as the core of the knowledge domain.”

Its operation will rely on close cooperation with leading public cultural institutions such as the National Theatre, the Greek National Opera, the State Theatre of Northern Greece, and the Thessaloniki State Conservatory, utilizing their experience and expertise.

The Minister stressed that the reform comes with a clear implementation mechanism, allowing immediate operation of the school using existing infrastructure, stating: “The transition does not occur with a regulatory gap. The HSPA can start immediately, using existing facilities and realistic implementation terms, without depending on the prior completion of new building facilities. This means a serious reform—not just legislating but being able to implement.”

At the same time, a special admissions system is established, adapted to the nature of studies, emphasizing assessment of artistic skills. A special framework for teaching staff combines academic qualifications and artistic experience.

The bill introduces, for the first time, a unified and clear framework for artistic education, with qualifications hierarchy and possibilities for academic advancement.

Titles of higher schools are included in Level 5 of the National Qualifications Framework, while institutional “bridges” to Level 6 are created through placement exams or special study programs, including via the Hellenic Open University.

The Minister thanked party representatives, stakeholders, and members of the arts and education community for participating in public dialogue, emphasizing that “all comments will be carefully recorded and evaluated seriously, so we can proceed to a substantive discussion worthy of the importance of the project.”

Closing her speech, Sophia Zacharaki highlighted: “With this bill, we resolve a decades-long pending issue for the performing arts. We organize a field that remained fragmented for years. We create real educational and professional pathways. We invest in creation, quality, permeability, and institutional seriousness. The fifty-year vision becomes reality. And we are here not just to announce it, but to implement it together.”

The Ministry approaches the discussion with openness and respect for every well-founded observation,” she concluded, emphasizing that “the great interest already shown confirms that this is a reform that addresses real needs and expectations. We will listen carefully to everyone. We will record every substantive observation. And we will proceed to a discussion worthy of a bill that seeks to realize a long-standing vision for the country’s artistic and creative world.”

The bill also provides that the Directorate of Artistic Education of the Ministry of Culture will be transferred to the Ministry of Education, along with its responsibilities, staff, and infrastructure. State institutions of artistic and musical education will be placed under the supervision of the same ministry. Administrative fines for violations in private higher music education schools are redefined.

Other provisions in the bill under discussion

In primary and secondary education, extensive changes are introduced, emphasizing the modernization of infrastructure and services.

School libraries, digital infrastructure, and career guidance

Practical implementation of the digital transformation of education is reflected in school libraries, which acquire an expanded role as spaces for print and digital learning. A unified “Digital Ecosystem of School Libraries” is being created to connect schools with the National Library of Greece and other bodies, with support from ITYE “Diophantus.” A National Coordinating Committee for School Libraries with expanded powers is also being formed. Scientific committees and thematic officers will be established. Procedures for staffing and enriching libraries are defined. The provision aims to promote reading and create a national network of “Reading Schools.”

Career counseling services are extended to 3rd-year Gymnasium students and special education structures, increasing individual sessions and utilizing existing structures.

Tertiary education and academic titles

In higher education, provisions are made for certification of pedagogical and teaching competence, adjustment of administrative salaries in higher education institutions, and a new framework for university sports facilities.

Procedures at DOATAP for recognition of degrees are modified, and issues concerning the operation of the Institute of Educational Policy are addressed, including secondments and allowances.

Provisions for access to professions

The bill modifies the framework for legally regulated professions, introducing preliminary evaluation of proportionality of restrictions by competent authorities, establishment of Special Evaluation Committees in each ministry, and procedures for communication with the European Commission for information exchange.

Provisions for educators and administrative staff

Provisions include teacher secondments and their extension to special personnel, the possibility of transfers to administrative positions after long secondments, extension of overseas education coordinators’ terms to five years, payment of allowances, and salary-related regulations.

Other provisions

The multi-bill also includes provisions on the employment of non-certified instructors in Lifelong Learning Centers under conditions, compensation for members of national dialogue committees, electronic language exams, and related registries.

Finally, the possibility of extraordinary admission to universities is extended for candidates affected by the Tempi railway accident.

It is noted that the bill under discussion constitutes one of the most extensive interventions in recent years in the field of education, gathering numerous heterogeneous provisions expected to be subject to further political and institutional processing before its final approval.