Parents spend €1.2 bln a year on private lessons

Many Greek parents don’t believe their children will receive the required knowledge and skills at state-run schools and instead resort to private lessons, according to a report published on Wednesday by the General Confederation of Greek Workers’ Center for the Development of Educational Policy (KANEP-GSEE).

The report showed that €1.2 billion is spent annually on private lessons. In 2018, Greek parents paid €101.1 million for their children to study at foreign universities.

Deputy Education Minister Angelos Syrigos said the average Greek household’s expenditure on the education of children is above the European average. He said the figures demonstrate a lack of trust in state schools – especially in the senior year of high school, which is seen having the greatest financial burden due to students preparing for their university entry exams.

He noted, however, that the report demonstrates the importance parents attach to their children’s education.