Mayors oppose plans to abolish school committees
Mayors of five of Greece’s largest cities have urged the government to reverse plans to abolish municipal school committees, warning the move would worsen bureaucracy and disrupt the day-to-day operation of public schools.
In a joint letter to the ministers of interior and education, the mayors of Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Peristeri and Ioannina said recent administrative changes have already caused delays in addressing schools’ basic needs. The intervention comes as the Interior Ministry holds a public consultation on draft legislation that would abolish school committees nationwide from Aug. 1, 2026.
The mayors said transferring school management responsibilities to central municipal services has reduced flexibility and slowed responses to urgent issues, particularly in primary, secondary and special education schools. They warned that further centralization would strain local authorities, teachers and parents.
They called for the withdrawal of the relevant provision in the draft bill and asked that municipalities be allowed to retain or re-establish school committees through local council decisions.
Local government representatives said reforms to education should prioritize schools’ practical needs, cautioning that they would oppose measures that undermine the quality of public education.
