[Intime News]
Plans for a National High School Diploma in Greece, a key pledge of the New Democracy government, have faltered amid political hesitation, logistical hurdles, and fears of a public backlash.
Proposed as an overhaul to the existing university entrance system, the diploma would rely on school-based examinations combined with standardized test banks. Advocates argue it would reduce reliance on Greece’s high-pressure cramming schools, yet skepticism abounds.
Efforts to align the reform with international standards, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB), were dismissed as too resource-intensive for Greece’s educational framework. Core challenges include ensuring examination fairness through independent grading and preventing manipulation of oral exam scores – an endemic issue in the current system.
The concept of incorporating earlier-year grades has further drawn criticism for potentially introducing a “double exams” system, intensifying stress and costs for students and families.
While officials insist that the plan remains active, delays reflect the political fragility of enacting meaningful education reform.