Ambitious education reform meets Greek reality

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...