European Trade Union Committee for Education

ETUCE stands in solidarity with DOE, in its fight for two-year public, free and compulsory early childhood education for children as of the age of 4. Citing the conclusions of the Council of the European Union on early childhood education and care, which were also adopted by the Ministry of Education of Greece in 2011, European Director, Susan Flocken, emphasised that "providing all children with the best start for the world of tomorrow, early childhood education has a positive influence on personal, social and learning progress of children. Early childhood education is essential to their school success, a better professional and social life and their future as a whole”.

Acknowledging that education is a national competence and welcoming the government’s decision to introduce one-year free, public, compulsory education in kindergartens for children as of the age of 5, ETUCE supports DOE in its call on the Greek authorities to invite the education trade unions to the negotiating table in order to find a beneficial solution for the country and provide for an earlier start of early childhood education.