Declining birth rates in Greece are severely reducing student numbers, forcing dozens of kindergartens and primary schools—especially in rural areas and islands—to close each year. Enrollments in Grade 1 have fallen by about 37% since 2010, with only 69,000 students expected in 2025–2026, compared to 115,000 fifteen years ago.
A study by IOBE warns that by 2035, 430,000 students—one-third of today’s school population—will be missing. Low birth rates combined with youth emigration have triggered a chain reaction in education: secondary schools are already recording tens of thousands fewer students, with losses increasing year by year.
