Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the new 4th Junior High School of Aspropyrgos on Tuesday morning to inspect modern facilities replacing temporary container classrooms. The visit marked the completion of a modern building for a municipal school whose students had been taught in temporary structures for 27 years.
The Greek leader toured classrooms, the library, sports facilities, and the multi-purpose hall at the site in West Attica. He spoke with teachers and students about their daily routine, remarking cheerfully as he arrived that it was time to see what had been accomplished and joking with students who called out his name that he was coming up now.
Mitsotakis was accompanied on the morning tour by Interior Minister Thodoris Livanios, Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Sofia Zacharaki, the Mayor of Aspropyrgos Giannis Ilias, and School Principal Evangelia Koulouriotou.
Modern facility replaces container classrooms
Construction of the new building was completed this year featuring bioclimatic architecture designed to improve energy efficiency. The school currently serves approximately 270 students who previously attended classes at a different location where lessons were conducted inside container units.
Speaking during the visit, Mitsotakis said it had taken the Greek state 27 years to construct a state-of-the-art school in Aspropyrgos for children who had been housed in containers until last year. He described the opening as a fine new day for the municipality, its junior high school students, and educators whose working conditions have been upgraded.
The prime minister emphasized that the government has made a conscious decision to utilize every available financial tool to execute a large-scale program to restore school infrastructure and create new educational facilities across the country. He noted that the project was funded through resources provided by the Ministry of Interior, commending the mayor for delivering a complete facility that meets the expectations of both teachers and students.
Nationwide school investment programs
Highlighting broader national efforts, Mitsotakis pointed to the importance of the Marietta Giannakou program, a nationwide initiative undertaking major interventions in existing school buildings with funding from the Hellenic Bank Association. He expressed hope that by next year the program will reach 1,000 schools where significant structural upgrades have been performed.
Aspropyrgos is an industrial town located in West Attica, west of the Greek capital, Athens. In the Greek educational system, a junior high school, or gymnasio, provides lower secondary education for children aged 12 to 15. Educational infrastructure across Greek municipalities has frequently relied on public funding streams such as the Antonis Tritsis municipal development program, managed by the Ministry of Interior to finance local infrastructure and public building construction.
Addressing the start of the academic term, Mitsotakis stated that the current school year had begun smoothly with fewer staff vacancies and better overall preparation. He expressed gratitude to teachers across the country, stating that no building, regardless of how modern or safe it is, can replace dedicated educators who work hard every day to deliver quality education.
Local leaders welcome new building
Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki expressed satisfaction with the new facilities, thanking the Ministry of Interior and the Antonis Tritsis Program for funding a school where children can study with joy. She added that Greek students deserve a daily educational environment that matches high standards of instruction.
Mayor Giannis Ilias called the visit a great honor and referred to the building as a jewel constructed through the Antonis Tritsis Program that the local area desperately needed. Principal Evangelia Koulouriotou added that moving into a fully staffed modern building after 27 years in containers has transformed the children's quality of life, fostering a positive view of the educational process.
Concluding his remarks, Mitsotakis offered his best wishes for the new facility and expressed hope that all schools across Greece would soon reach the standard set by the new junior high school in Aspropyrgos.
