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Greece will suspend operations at more than 700 schools this academic year as the country’s demographic crisis drives student enrollment to record lows, officials said.
The Education Ministry announced that 721 of Greece’s 13,478 schools will not open for the 2025-2026 year because they failed to meet the minimum enrollment threshold of 15 students. Primary schools and kindergartens account for the bulk of closures, with 324 and 358 set to shut down, respectively, a sharp rise from 2018-2019.
Enrollment has dropped by more than 150,000 students since that year, falling to about 1.21 million. Officials warn the decline has reached “Armageddon” levels, leaving some children, particularly in rural areas and islands, traveling up to 80 kilometers daily to attend school.
The closures highlight the effects of Greece’s long-standing demographic challenges. The country has one of the lowest fertility rates in the European Union, at about 1.3 births per woman. Combined with an aging population and the emigration of younger Greeks during the financial crisis, the birthrate decline has fueled a shrinking student population.
Experts caution the trend could have lasting consequences for Greece’s economy and social systems if not reversed.
With information from Greek Reporter.
