Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the Rosa Imvrioti Special Experimental Primary School in Kaisariani on Tuesday following extensive renovation work under a nationwide educational infrastructure program.
The facility holds historic significance as the first public special school established in Greece, founded in 1937 by educator Rosa Imvrioti at the site of the Kaisariani Firing Range in the eastern suburbs of Athens.
School infrastructure and program funding
Speaking during his visit, Mitsotakis noted that the Kaisariani facility is one of 238 schools across Greece that have been fully reconstructed through the Marietta Giannakou program. The initiative, named after the late Greek politician and former education minister, is supported by a total donation of 400 million euros spanning a four-year period.
Mitsotakis described the program as a major corporate social responsibility action supporting government efforts to upgrade public school buildings into higher quality, safer, prettier, and more accessible learning environments.
Expressing his gratitude to participating banking institutions and public building authority Ktiriakes Ypodomes for preparing facilities ahead of the new academic year, Mitsotakis announced that the work program will continue across coming summers. He added that the government intends to supplement these building interventions with additional financing tools.
Mitsotakis emphasized that the overall effort is continuous, stating that the greatest reward for officials remains the smiles of returning children when they encounter a school facility that meets their expectations and those of their teachers.
Special education staffing and recruitment
The prime minister also made specific reference to broader state efforts in special education, pointing out that one in four permanent educator appointments made this year in primary and secondary education was allocated to special education teachers and professors. This accounts for 1,430 permanent teaching posts created for the current school year.
Mitsotakis acknowledged that special education had been neglected in previous years, emphasizing that current state policies are focused on covering lost ground to support students with special needs.
Ministerial priorities and banking support
The school principal expressed her gratitude for the completed works, stating that structural intervention at the aging facility was necessary.
Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki, who accompanied the prime minister during the tour, noted that the initiative is currently in its second year of bank sponsorship. Zacharaki explained that the Ministry of Education explicitly sought to prioritize special education facilities, leading to the selection of the historic Kaisariani campus.
A representative representing the participating banks stated that educational facilities must be safe and aesthetically pleasing, adding that financial institutions are pleased to partner with the state on the nationwide initiative.
