Greece is closing hundreds of schools as falling student numbers highlight the country’s worsening demographic situation, Kathimerini, a Greek daily newspaper that focuses on politics and economics, reports.
For the 2025-2026 academic year, 721 of Greece’s 13,478 schools will suspend operations due to insufficient enrollment, most of them kindergartens and primary schools, according to Education Ministry data.
The student population is projected at about 1.21 million for the 2025-2026 academic year, a drop of more than 150,000 compared with the level during 2018-2019.
The closures come against a backdrop of long-term demographic decline.
According to the Hellenic Statistical Authority, Greece’s population has fallen by over 400,000 in the past 13 years due to plunging birth rates, aging, and outward migration.
School closures have been reported nationwide, including 77 in the Attica region. In remote areas, some children now need to travel up to 80 km daily to attend classes, the report said. ■