70% of children born in the 1980s in Greece they achieved a higher level of education than their parents, as a result of the significant expansion of the education system in the last 4 decades in the country. Based on the specific index of absolute intergenerational mobility in education, Greece ranks high in international rankings (10th place among 36 high-income economies).

The above is mentioned, among others, in a study by IOBE with the theme “Socio-economic factors that determine the performance and professional plans of students in Greece”.

The study aims to evaluate the role of socioeconomic background in the cognitive performance and future plans of secondary school students in Greece, in a longitudinal and comparative context with other countries. For this purpose, a wide range of data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was used.

The main findings of the study are also summarized in the following points:

• The expansion of the education system did not lead to a significant reduction in social inequalities. The probability that a child born to parents with a relatively low educational level (in the lower half of the distribution) will receive a very high educational level (ie in the highest quartile of the distribution) is limited to 14% in Greece. Based on this probability, Greece ranks 31st among 36 high-income economies.

• The performance of 15-year-old students in the PISA Program as well as their future plans are related to the socio-economic status of parents, which is transmitted to children mainly through cultural and educational paths and goods, the degree of parental emotional support, but also through the type of schools in which the students attend (public or private).

• Students’ immigrant background and school bullying experiences show significant negative associations with students’ cognitive outcomes and future plans.

• Gender differences were also revealed by cognitive domain. This fact is an indication that the sectoral separation in education and employment between men and women starts at a very young age.

• In Greece, the relationship between socio-economic background and student achievement is evident and generally stable over time.

• Compared to other EU countries and the OECD, Greece is no exception in terms of the relationship between students’ socio-economic characteristics and their PISA performance.

• In the relatively low degree of intergenerational mobility observed in the country, socio-economic factors that influence the course of students after the completion of the compulsory education cycle have a significant contribution. These factors may include the high costs of tuition for admission to high-demand universities and for postgraduate study abroad, the enhanced role of parents’ social ties in securing their children’s entry into the labor market, and the particular structure of of the Greek economy (high share of family businesses, professional offices and self-employed).

• The more difficult entry into high-income professions in Greece is reflected in the low level of relative ambition recorded by 15-year-old students in the country. Just 22.9% of students in Greece say they intend to pursue one of these professions, compared to an OECD average of 30.1%. Based on this percentage, Greece ranks 36th among 42 OECD and EU member countries.

The findings of the study show that the education system could benefit from a series of interventions aimed at mitigating the observed inequalities in the performance of the student population in Greece. The ultimate goal is to strengthen intergenerational mobility in education and more broadly, so that students enjoy equal prospects for their future regardless of their parents’ socio-economic background.

In this context, the study concludes with a series of policy proposals-priorities, in the following directions:

• Planning or expanding programs aimed at providing incentives for the acquisition of educational and cultural goods at the household level.

• Effective implementation of family policies to further strengthen the balance between work and family life.

• Creation of full-time psychosocial support services at the school level, with the parallel development and implementation of effective anti-bullying protocols and teacher training.

• Upgrading the educational services of public schools (mapping of human resources and infrastructure needs at the national level, evaluation of educational materials and services, provision of additional educational resources to low-performing schools).

• Adequate and effective vocational guidance programs in all schools with the aim of preparing students for the modern challenges in the labor market, combating sectoral segregation based on gender and supporting and guiding children from vulnerable social groups.

The study was presented recently and was followed by a discussion with the participation of Yannis Antoniou, president of the Institute of Educational Policy, Apostolis Dimitropoulos, former general secretary of Higher Education at the Ministry of Education, Chryssa Sofianopoulou, associate professor at Harokopei University and National Coordinator of the PISA program, while the discussion coordinated by Nikos Vettas, general director of IOBE & professor of the Athens University of Economics.