Two-thirds of public school teachers secondary schools in Greece are over 50 years old, which raises concerns about the risk of burnout and difficulties in adapting to new technologies, cited by BTA.
According to data from the Ministry of Education, 66% of the 66,445 permanent teachers in secondary schools are over the age of 50, and almost 20% are over 60, reports "Kathimerini".
Although older teachers have considerable experience, the lack of young teachers – only 118 people are under the age of 30 – presents a serious challenge, especially in relation to technological skills and increasing cases of retirement.
A teacher hiring freeze during the years of economic constraints has resulted in an aging workforce, with new hires since 2019 already being experienced substitute teachers.
With more than 2,200 teachers expected to retire in 2024, experts are calling for more support, especially in tackling issues such as student violence. They are also calling for the hiring of more psychologists and social workers to help teachers deal with the stress and administrative burden.