Susquehanna Valley

A European Commission report shows Greece to be seriously lagging in the area of education, with particular reference made to the need for academics to be evaluated and for university and college departments to be merged - both demands of the country's international creditors.

Pupils enrolled at public schools in the region of Attica are calling on fellow pupils to participate in sit-ins on November 7. The protest action is being organized by a student committee in protest to current conditions at public schools.

A total of 66,611 children will be first-graders in 2016. Last year, the number was 67,503.

According to data of the regional educational directorates, the number of pupils in grades 1-12 in the new 2016-2017 academic year will be 719,405.

Due to the demographic crisis, 27 schools will be closed down, mostly primary schools. 12 of these will be closed down.

Pupils at junior and high schools across Greece are expected to start the new academic year Monday as public schools open, with the Education Ministry issuing new regulations for the enrollment of refugee and migrant children staying at state reception facilities.

Elementary school students in Turkey will be given the option to choose Arabic as a second language as of the 2016-2017 school year, in addition to the already offered English, French and German, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported Education Ministry officials as saying.

The school year starts today for nearly 758 000 students and 68 891 teachers in 2564 schools across Bulgaria.

September 15, 2015 is the first day of school for around 65 000 first-graders, according to reports of Bulgaria's Education Minister, Todor Tanev, as cited by dnevnik.bg.

   School in Tirana. Photo: LSA/Malton Dibra

Government plans to change the law on public education and transfer the power to employ teachers from school boards to school directors has alarmed civil society groups.

They call it a step back towards politically motivated appointments of teachers.

Bulgaria's construction sector index of production in July was 0.3% below its level in the previous month, according to the national statistics preliminary data.

In July, the working day adjusted data showed an increase by 2.9% in the construction production, compared to the same month of 2013.