Bilingualism in the Greek educational system

• Greece recognizes only one minority: the Muslim minority in Thrace.

• Thrace is a region in the north eastern part of Greece.

• Bilingual education (in Greek and in Turkish) is provided to these students according to the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne.

• There are 232 elementary schools in that region.

Elementary education

• The staff: Greek Christian and Muslim teachers.

According to the circular of the Ministry Z2/182/29-4-99, the number of the Muslim teachers is equal to that of the Christian teachers in each bilingual school.

• In these schools, a teacher corresponds to 12 students although in greek public schools a teacher corresponds to 25 students.

The time table

• The 36 demanding teaching hours per week are reduced to 28 because the lessons finish at 11.45 on Friday for the start of the pray at noon which is important in the Muslim religion.

The staff Greek language program

• Teachers of the Greek language• Teachers of the English language• Physical education teachers

Turkish language program

• The majority of them (80%) have graduated the Special Pedagogical Academy of Salonika.

• The minority of them (18%) have graduated the Turkish Teacher Academies. There are called so:“With many qualifications”.

• Only 2% of the teachers are invited from Turkey. There is a correspondence between them and the Greek teachers who are put on temporary assignment in the schools of expatriate Greeks in Istanbul according to an agreement between the two states.

Curricula

• They depend on the basic intercultural principle of the respect for the mother tongue and the culture of the Muslim minority.

• The curricula are the same with these of the Greek schools with a main difference: Their appliance is bilingual.

Bilingual program

• The subjects in Greek language:1.Greek language2.History3.Geography4.Citizen education5.The study of the environment

The subjects in Turkish language

1. Turkish language2. Religious education3. Mathematics4. Physics -Arts5. Music and PE lesson are taught

equally (with regard to time) in the two languages.

6. English language is taught starting in the 4th grade.

Greek language subjects

Subjects Grades Hours

Α Β Γ Δ Ε ΣΤGreek 11 11 10 10 10 10

62History - - 2 2 2 2

8Geography - - - 2 2 2

6Citizen Educ. - - - 1 1 1

3Environment 2 2 2 - - -

6Music ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½

3PE lesson ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½

3 Hours 14 14 15 16 16 16

91

Turkish language lessons

Lessons Grades Hours

Α Β Γ Δ Ε ΣΤTurkish language 8 9 8 7 7 7

46Religious Educ. - 2 3 3 3 3

14Mathematics 3 3 3 3 3 3

18Physics - - - 2 2 2

6Arts 1 3 2 1 1 1

9Music ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½

4PE lesson ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½

4Hours 13 19 18 17 17 17

101

• Notice the teaching hours in Turkish language, Maths and Physics in comparison with the teaching hours in Religious education.

Secondary education

• It was not in the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne but there are 12 schools (gymnasia and high schools) in the region of Thrace.

Lessons in Greek language

• Ancient and modern greek • History• Geography• Citizen Education All the other subjects of the

curricula are taught in Turkish language also with the study of the Turkish language.

The holidays

• The school year lasts 14 days less than this in public greek schools because of the religious faith of the minority which imposes the days off. Some schools work on Sunday despite the absence of the Christian teacher and they don’t work on Friday.