ATHENS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Greek schools reopened nationwide on Friday, with about 30,000 fewer children entering the first grade this school year than in 2016, highlighting the country's continuing demographic decline.
The number of children enrolled in the first grade of primary school has fallen by about 30,000 over the past decade, Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Minister Sofia Zacharaki told local SKAI TV.
"We are seeing a very significant decline in the number of children. We have 30,000 fewer children enrolled in the first grade of primary school compared to 2016," she said.
The decline is also reflected in kindergarten enrollment. According to the latest edition of the Hellenic Statistical Authority's publication "Greece in Figures" released in July, the number of children attending kindergartens fell from 175,108 in the 2020-2021 school year to 167,969 in 2023-2024, a decline of about 4.1 percent.
The decline in school-age children follows a broader fall in births. According to the latest data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority, Greece recorded 65,594 births in 2025, compared with 68,467 in 2024, marking a 4.2 percent decrease in one year.
