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Education in Greece is centralized and governed by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs at all grade levels. The Ministry exercises control over public schools, formulates and implements legislation, administers the budget, coordinates national level university entrance examinations, sets up the national curriculum, appoints public school teaching staff, and coordinates other services.
The national supervisory role of the Ministry is exercised through Regional Unit Public Education Offices, which are named Regional Directorates of Primary and Secondary School Education. Public schools and their supply of textbooks are funded by the government. Public schools in Greece are tuition-free and students on a state approved list are provided textbooks at no cost.
About 25% of postgraduate programs are tuition-fee, while about 30% of students are eligible to attend programs tuition-free based on individual criteria.
Formal education in Greece comprises three educational stages. The first stage of formal education is the primary stage, which lasts for six years starting at age of 6 and ending at the age of 12, followed by the secondary stage, which is separated into two sub-stages: the compulsory Gymnasium, which lasts three years starting at age 12, and non-compulsory Lyceum, which lasts three years starting at 15. The third stage involves higher education.