Education Shake-Up: Nationwide Exams End, National Diploma to Take Over

The traditional nationwide exams as we know them may soon be history. The Greek government is considering abolishing the current Panhellenic Exams and replacing them with the National High School Diploma (Ethniko Apolytirio), aiming to create a transparent, fair, and reliable university admissions system.

Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki outlined the main pillars of the proposal:

• Questions drawn from a graded question bank, randomly assigned for each exam and accompanied by a grading guide.
• External team of experienced evaluators to conduct spot checks of students’ papers.
• Inclusion of grades from all three years of high school in the National Diploma score.
• Digitization and secure storage of exam papers for full transparency.
• Possibility to adjust term grades based on final exam performance to reduce subjectivity in oral assessments.
• Establishment of an independent Examination Authority to oversee the entire process.

Statistics and Challenges

According to the Institute of Educational Policy, 78% of students and 65% of teachers believe the current Panhellenic Exams do not fully reflect student performance. Additionally, over 40% of parents worry about unfairness in oral exams and the influence of social factors.

The National Diploma aims to:

• Reduce student stress, as evaluations will reflect overall performance rather than a single high-stakes exam.
• Ensure transparency and reliability through digitization and randomization of questions.
• Limit subjective grading in oral exams and boost confidence among parents and students.

Political and Educational Context

The initiative comes amid efforts to:

• Launch a national dialogue on the future of education, seeking political consensus.
• Upgrade public schools through fair and transparent evaluation systems.
• Align with international best practices, as countries like Finland and the Netherlands prioritize comprehensive assessment over single high-stakes exams.

However, some concerns remain:

• Teachers fear that the question bank system may limit creativity and deep learning.
• Parents and students worry about the accuracy of combining three years’ grades and potential issues in digital evaluations.

Next Steps

The national dialogue is expected to start late November, involving:

• Ministry of Education
• Institute of Educational Policy
• Teacher and parent associations
• Independent education policy experts

The goal is to design a system that balances reliability, objectivity, and social acceptance, ensuring equity in university admissions.

The National High School Diploma represents a radical shift in Greek education, combining three years of student assessment, digitization, and transparency. Its success will depend on balancing innovation with acceptance by students, parents, and educators alike.

Source: pagenews.gr