23,020 substitute teachers to be hired

The Ministry of Education announced Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the hiring of 23,020 substitute educators for Primary and Secondary Education, both general and special education, for the school year 2026-2027, ahead of the new school year, according to NewsIt reporting published Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The ministry provided an overview of position distribution by level and type of education days before the school year’s start. The announcement is part of the annual process of filling vacant teaching positions, a process repeated each year before schools open, so that units have adequate staff from their first operating days.

According to the distribution announced by the ministry, 11,502 of the positions concern special education, while 4,121 concern general primary education. The remaining positions are directed to secondary education, though the ministry did not provide, according to NewsIt, the exact number for this category separately. The sum of the two specific numbers announced—11,502 special education positions and 4,121 general primary positions—does not cover the total of 23,020 positions announced, leaving unclear the exact number of substitutes who will fill vacancies in secondary education. NewsIt reports the data as provided by the ministry without additional analysis of this difference.

The announcement provides schools across the country with an overview of staff expected to staff classrooms before the school year begins. The high proportion of special education positions—11,502 out of 23,020—reflects increased staffing needs of special education facilities nationwide. For families of students with special educational needs, filling these positions directly connects to the smooth operation of inclusion units and special schools from day one. For educators awaiting placement, the announcement signals the start of the placement process for the new school year, a process completed in a narrow timeframe before schools open.

Substitute educators hired must begin service September 7 and 8, 2026, according to the Ministry of Education, days before the blessing on September 11 that officially marks the start of the 2026-2027 school year. It remains unclear how many positions exactly correspond to secondary education, as the ministry did not provide this number separately in its announcement. Meanwhile, school year preparation issues remain open on other fronts, such as the matter of transporting 16,500 students in Thessaloniki, where the school year approaches without a carrier being found. How the new hires will combine with remaining preparation issues for schools will become clear in coming days.