More than 2,000,000 students have attended the educational institutions of all levels belonging to Religious Orders and Congregations of the Catholic Church in Greece (e.g. Naxos, Tinos, Syros, Santorini, Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Patra, Kalamata, Nafplio, Chania-Crete, Corfu, Zakynthos, Volos, Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos, Chios, Samos) mostly Greek-French schools,which are among the best in the country since their founding in the early 17th century until today, proving the great importance of their mission within the Greek society.
Their presence is characterized by:
- an emphasis on the Christian education of children and young people, with the ultimate goal of shaping responsible citizens and conscious Christians, with well-rounded personalities, who can guarantee the preservation of sound principles and values
- a very high quality of the educational services they offer
- foreign languages learning (French and English) with the obtainment of a high-level language proficiency diploma
- very high success rates in admission exams for higher education
A large number of men and women who have attended Catholic Greek-French schools are distinguished in the Greek society – a proof of the success of the Catholic Greek-French schools in achieving their mission. Among them:
- Presidents of the Republic, Prime Ministers, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Mayors
- Men and women religious, priests, bishops of both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches
- Men of letters, artists, scientists, sportspeople, businessmen, people in the industrial and the maritime sectors
Today, in Athens, Piraeus, Syros, Thessaloniki, Volos and Corfu, there are:
12 Greek-French Schools, members of the S.P.E.I.G. (with 40 school units)
1 Greek kindergarten
1 English language school
Which belong to: 7 Religious Orders and Congregations of the Catholic Church
Number of pupils: 9,000 schoolchildren
People who serve: 30 men and women religious
900 teachers and
500 people as administrative and support staff
In relation to the pupils of primary and secondary education in Greece:
- 1,200,000 pupils attend public schools
- 85,000 pupils attend private schools
- 9,000 pupils attend Greek-French Schools
As the vast majority of Greek citizens are Orthodox, the above educational communities (teachers and pupils), according to the latest statistics, consist of: 98% Christian Orthodox and 2% Christian Catholics, who work together in a harmonious and ecumenical spirit.
Brief history of the Catholic Greek-French schools establishment:
The first Religious Orders of the Catholic Church arrived in Greece in the beginning of the 17th century, coming from France and Italy. They first settled on the islands of the Cyclades, Naxos and Tinos, founding Monasteries and Schools. Later, many more Religious Orders and Congregations established schools in various parts of Greece (Syros, Santorini, Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Patra, Kalamata, Nafplio, Chania-Crete, Corfu, Zakynthos, Volos, Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos, Chios, Samos), mainly during the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, such as:
the Jesuits, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Apparition, the Marist Brothers,
the Capuchins, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Lyon the Ursulines,
the Lazarists, the Brothers of the Christian Schools the Sisters of Divine Love,
the Salesians, the Sisters of Mercy
These were mainly French language schools and commercial schools, which aimed to meet the needs of the inhabitants of the islands and the big cities. For this reason, they were later called Greek-French Schools. The wealthy families of the time greatly appreciated the Christian education, the principles, the values, and the high level of knowledge that these schools imparted to the youth.
A century later, many of these educational institutions were closed or relocated.
The Greek-French Schools, members of the Secretariat of Private Educational Institutions in Greece (S.P.E.I.G.)* are the following – per Catholic Order and Congregation:
Ursulines
Greek-French School of the Ursulines
Foundation year: 1670
Nursery School ® Preschool ® Elementary ® High School ® Senior High School
Marist Brothers
Leonteios School of Nea Smyrni
Foundation year: 1838
Nursery School ® Preschool ® 2 Elementary Schools® High School ® Senior High School
Leonteios School of Athens
Foundation year: 1924
Nursery School ® Preschool ® Elementary ® High School ® Senior High School
Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Apparition
Greek-French School “Saint Joseph” – Pefki
Foundation year: 1856
Preschool ® Elementary ® High School ® Senior High School
Greek-French School “Jeanne D’ Arc” – Piraeus
Foundation year: 1859
Preschool ® Elementary ® High School ® Senior High School
Elementary School “Saint Joseph” – Volos
Foundation year: 1904
Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers)
“De La Salle” College of Thessalonica
Foundation year: 1888
Nursery School ® Preschool ® Elementary ® High School ® Senior High
School
Piraeus’ Greek-French School “Saint Paul”
Foundation Year: 189
High School ® Senior High School
Syros’ “De La Salle” Schools
Foundation Year: 1914
Nursery School ® Preschool ® Elementary ® High School ® Senior High School
Alimos’ “De La Salle” Elementary School
Foundation year: 2009
Preschool ® Elementary
Thessaloniki’s Greek-French School “Kalamari”
Foundation year: 1894
High School ® Senior High School
| Sisters of Divine Love Not a member of the S.P.E.I.G. |
Greek pilot school (kindergarten) of Corfu “Spring”, operates in a space provided by the Catholic Archdiocese of Corfu, Zakynthos and Cephalonia
Foundation year: 2007
| Sisters of the Holy Cross Not a member of the S.P.E.I.G. |
English language school for diplomas of all levels for children of all ages on a property of the Monastery of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, in Agia Paraskevi, Attica
Foundation Year: 1968
*Secretariat of Private Educational Institutions in Greece (S.P.E.I.G.)
The Secretariat of Private Educational Institutions in Greece was founded in 1996 and is a non-profit association, recognized by the Greek state, members of which are the Greek-French Schools. It is an active member of international organizations, such as the C.E.E.C. (Comité Européen pour l’Enseignement Catholique), the O.I.E.C. (Office International de l’Enseignement Catholique) and the G.E.R.F.E.C. (Groupement Européen pour la Recherche et la Formation des Enseignants Chrétien). It consists of full and extraordinary members and is governed by a five-member Board of Directors, which is elected every three years.