The Public Onassis Schools in 12 questions and answers

The signing of the contract between the Greek State and the Onassis Foundation paves the way for establishing the Network of Public Onassis Schools. This network includes 22 schools (11 junior and 11 general senior high schools) located in areas facing social and economic challenges that will provide thousands of students with the resources, knowledge, and environment necessary to develop their skills.

The Public Onassis Schools will operate under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, in close collaboration with the Onassis Foundation, which will upgrade their infrastructure and cover part of their operating costs. The curriculum will resemble that of Model Schools, incorporating innovations such as partnerships with universities and research centers and the operation of educational Groups and Clusters, which will also be accessible to students from nearby public schools.

The Public Onassis Schools aim to expand educational opportunities, strengthen local communities, foster collaboration between public schools, universities, and institutions, and set the tone for the overall upgrade in education, which is the goal of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports.

What are the Public Onassis Schools?

They are existing schools that, through funding from the Onassis Foundation, will be integrated into a cohesive network, namely the Public Onassis Schools, which will be overseen by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports.

Attendance will be entirely free of charge. The Public Onassis Schools will follow the curriculum of Model Schools, emphasizing Humanities, STEM, and Social Sciences, Fine Arts, Digital Literacy, and Emotional and Social Intelligence. To achieve their objectives, in addition to the curriculum applicable to the Model Schools, there will be Groups and Clusters offering supplementary subjects in STEM and Humanities, Languages, Arts, Culture, and Sports. Groups will offer the students innovative activities, remedial teaching, and preparation for national examinations.

Despite similarities with the Model Schools, the Public Onassis Schools network is shaping a new type of socially engaged public school, giving more opportunities for access to modern and upgraded educational environments to students in areas facing significant social and economic challenges. This is why each Public Onassis School is required to have at least 40-60% of its students come from the municipal district where it is located.

Students attending the second and third grades of junior or senior high school when the Public Onassis Schools begin operation will remain and complete their education there. The total annual student population of the Public Onassis Schools is expected to reach 6,000 per year, with over 22,000 students graduating within twelve years.

The network includes 22 secondary schools (11 junior and 11 senior high schools) across the country. At least six schools (three junior and three senior high schools) will be operational by September 2025 and will be announced soon.

In which areas will the Public Onassis Schools operate?

Of the 22 schools, 10 (junior and senior high schools) will operate in the Region of Attica and 12 across the rest of Greece. The selected areas listed in the law regarding the Public Onassis Schools establishment are Peristeri, Kolonos, Kypseli, Menidi, and Perama in Attica, Xirokrini and Evosmos in Thessaloniki, Kozani, Xanthi, Rhodes, and Heraklion in the rest of the country.

The primary selection criterion was prioritizing areas with a population of more than 70,000 inhabitants facing social and economic challenges. Further conditions included the absence of any other model or experimental schools in close vicinity, and the geographic proximity of the selected junior and senior high schools to facilitate collaboration with one another, as well as with universities and research centers. The final decision was reached after close cooperation between the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports and the Onassis Foundation.

How will the Public Onassis Schools be managed? Will the Onassis Foundation intervene in their operations and educational content?

The Onassis Foundation has no say in how the schools are run or what they teach. A nine-member Committee will manage the Public Onassis Schools network. The Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports will appoint five members based on the relevant Minister’s decision, with the remaining four appointed by the Onassis Foundation.

Daily operations will be overseen by: (i) the school’s principal, (ii) the school’s vice principal, and (iii) the teaching staff council. The school units will administratively fall under the respective Regional Directorate of Secondary Education.

What is the goal of the Public Onassis Schools?

1. Implementing the principles and guidelines of the 21st-century modern school with an emphasis on humanities, STEM, and social sciences, fine arts, digital literacy, and emotional and social intelligence to cultivate well-rounded, democratic citizens.
2. Providing high-quality free public education aimed at the comprehensive, well-rounded, and balanced development and culture of students.
3. Promoting dialogue, free thought, equality, and respect for diversity in all its forms.
4. Advancing scientific research in education and its practical applications through collaboration with educational and social organizations, in the teaching of individual subjects, in the psycho-pedagogical field, as well as in the organization, administration, evaluation, and management of relations at the level of the school unit.
5. Training students in digital technology and artificial intelligence.
6. Fostering creativity, innovation, and excellence both through the compulsory daily program and the extracurricular courses of the newly founded Groups and Clusters.
7. Implementing innovative educational programs using experiential teaching methods and other cutting-edge practices and activities.
8. Enabling digital, remote, and hybrid learning.
9. Encouraging multilingualism.

How will the Public Onassis Schools operate?

They will follow the curriculum of Model Schools, subject to possible modifications by the Management Committee of the Public Onassis Schools. Attendance will be entirely free of charge. Public Onassis Schools will emphasize humanities, STEM, and social sciences, fine arts, digital literacy, and emotional and social intelligence. To achieve their objectives, in addition to the curriculum applicable to the Model Schools, there will be Groups and Clusters offering supplementary subjects in STEM, humanities, foreign languages, arts, culture, and sports. Students will also benefit from innovative projects, remedial teaching, and preparation for national examinations carried out in the Groups and Clusters.

Participation of the students in the Groups and Clusters will be mandatory for at least 10 educational hours per week throughout the school year.

Will the Public Onassis Schools interact with other local public schools?

The goal is to foster collaboration that will enhance public education overall. Students from other public schools in the vicinity may participate in the Groups and Clusters upon application and approval by the Public Onassis School’s Principal.

How will students be admitted to the Public Onassis Schools?

Students entering the first year of junior or senior high school will take written admission exams (tests) of knowledge and skills, similar to the process for Model Schools. Furthermore, the final ranking of those selected is also based on a geographical factor. The minimum percentage of students selected from the municipal unit to which the Public Onassis School belongs ranges from 40% to 60% of the total number of students admitted to the relevant school. Accordingly, for the first two years of operation of the Public Onassis School, admittance is made easier for younger siblings of children who are currently enrolled in the specified schools.

What are the Onassis Foundation’s obligations under the contract?

The Onassis Foundation, through a donation totaling 160 million euros over 12 school years, will cover the equipment and infrastructure upgrades for the existing buildings of the 22 school units. The Foundation will allocate up to 1 million euros per school unit to upgrade and improve infrastructure and 500,000 euros per school unit annually to support activities and cover costs. Additionally, the Onassis Foundation will provide 6 million euros for unforeseen expenses arising from the Public Onassis Schools network operation.

The Onassis Foundation will cover the additional remuneration of the teachers and administrative staff of the Public Onassis Schools for extra work beyond their regular working hours, as well as the costs of running the Groups and Clusters. The Onassis Foundation will cover the costs for the development and training of the teaching staff through participation in educational programs in Greece or abroad and for scholarships.

What are the obligations of the Greek State?

Beyond the Onassis Foundation's donation, funding for Public Onassis Schools will align with that of Model Schools. Teaching and administrative staff salaries will be covered by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, and operating costs by the respective municipalities.

When does the agreement take effect?

The agreement becomes effective following its publication in the Official Government Gazette on January 30, 2025. This partnership between the Onassis Foundation and the Greek State follows the successful model of the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center. In 2018, the “Ratification of the Donation Agreement between the ‘Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation,’ the ‘Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center (O.C.S.C.)’ and the Greek State” was passed (on September 27, 2018) with a broad majority and the support of the following political parties: SYRIZA, ANEL, Nea Dimokratia, Democratic Coalition (PASOK), and To Potami (The River).

What are the benefits for students in each area and local communities?

Public Onassis Schools benefit both students and local communities in the following ways:

- Schools are upgraded: Existing school infrastructure is upgraded to provide a more modern learning experience. Public Onassis Schools are equipped with cutting-edge technology, improved laboratories, and renovated buildings, creating an environment that enhances students’ educational experience.

- The Groups and Clusters open up horizons in sciences, Greek language, digital technology, foreign languages, arts, culture, and sports.

- Attendance remains entirely free of charge: There are no tuition fees. Free access to educational materials, extracurricular activities, and all necessary equipment is provided.

- Remedial teaching for the national examinations is provided: Students preparing for national examinations will receive additional support to help them improve their knowledge.

- Admission is based on tests that are not solely focused on knowledge: New students in their first years of junior and senior high school will take admission tests similar to those in Model Schools. However, they differ from the latter in that an additional skills test will be administered to highlight students’ competency and willingness, even if they do not have the opportunity for thorough preparation.

- Free test preparation is available through an online tutorial: The Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports’ Digital Tutorial will provide sixth-grade primary school students and third-year Gymnasium (Junior High School) students with free educational materials and sample skills tests to help them prepare effectively for their qualifying examinations.

- The local community is prioritized: At least 40-60% of the students attending the Public Onassis Schools will be from the municipal district in which the school is located.

- Accessibility is guaranteed for all: Public Onassis Schools will ensure accessibility for people with disabilities. Students with special educational needs, such as those on the autism spectrum, will receive support from psychologists and social workers.

- Students who are already enrolled are not removed: Students who are currently enrolled in Public Onassis Schools remain there until graduation, enjoying the benefits of the upgraded school; there is also a provision to facilitate the enrollment of their younger siblings. Only incoming junior and senior high school students will be required to take an admission examination.

- The Public Onassis Schools remain open to the local community: Students from other schools in the vicinity can participate in the Groups and Clusters. Their presence will improve the quality of life in the communities where they operate.

What are the provisions for teachers who already work in these schools? How will teaching staff be selected after the transitional two-year period?

Educators who are currently teaching in the specific schools that will comprise the Public Onassis Schools network will be retained for two years and will have the option of continuing in the same school unit if they desire, as long as they are positively assessed through the evaluation process already in place in the Public Schools. During the transitional two-year period, they will be able to attend free training courses. If they do not want to stay, they can apply for another position in the same directorate with priority and no time limit.

The Public Onassis Schools educators will be selected following similar procedures to those used for the Model Schools’ teaching staff.

Teachers serving in Public Onassis Schools will not work more than the regular hours. For their participation in the Groups, they will receive an additional remuneration of 320 € for 6 hours per week from the Onassis Foundation and will have free access to specialized training programs.