European International Journal of Pedagogics
01
https://eipublication.com/index.php/eijp
TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
1-5
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
02 March 2025
ACCEPTED
03 April 2025
PUBLISHED
01 May 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue05 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
A Critical Analysis of
Neoliberal Influences on
Primary Education
Curricula in Greece
Dr. Nikos K. Mavridis
Department of Educational Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University
of Athens, Greece
Dr. Eleni T. Karagianni
Faculty of Social and Educational Policy, University of the Peloponnese,
Corinth, Greece
Abstract:
This article critically examines the influence of
neoliberal educational policies on the primary
education curricula in Greece. It analyzes how these
policies shape curriculum design, implementation, and
evaluation, considering the impact on educational goals,
teaching practices, and student outcomes. The analysis
draws upon critical pedagogy and discourse analysis to
explore the underlying ideologies and power dynamics
embedded within the curricula. The article argues that
neoliberal policies prioritize market-oriented skills and
standardization,
potentially
undermining
the
development of critical thinking, social justice, and
holistic education.
Keywords:
Neoliberalism,
primary
education,
curriculum reform, Greece, educational policy, critical
pedagogy, standardization, educational inequality,
marketization of education, teacher evaluation,
democratic education, curriculum design, education
and
capitalism,
policy
discourse,
educational
neoliberalism.
Introduction:
The primary education curriculum serves
as a cornerstone of a nation's educational system,
shaping the knowledge, skills, and values of future
citizens. In Greece, the primary education curriculum
has undergone significant reforms in recent decades,
influenced by broader shifts in educational policy. This
article aims to critically analyze the impact of neoliberal
educational policies on the current primary education
curricula in Greece.
European International Journal of Pedagogics
2
https://eipublication.com/index.php/eijp
European International Journal of Pedagogics
Neoliberalism, as an ideology, emphasizes market-
based principles, privatization, deregulation, and
competition. These principles have increasingly
influenced education policy globally, including in
Greece, leading to a focus on accountability,
standardization, and the alignment of education with
the needs of the labor market (Rikowski, 2001; Hill,
2007). This article argues that these neoliberal
influences have profound implications for the goals,
content, and pedagogy of primary education.
Literature Review
The influence of neoliberalism on education has been
widely debated by critical scholars. Some scholars
argue that neoliberal policies have led to the
commodification of education, treating students as
consumers and schools as businesses (Rikowski, 2019).
This perspective highlights how curricula are
increasingly designed to produce graduates with skills
that meet the demands of the global economy
(Ionescu, 2012; Sounoglou, 2023).
Critical pedagogy, a theoretical framework that
challenges oppressive power structures in education,
provides valuable insights into analyzing the impact of
neoliberalism on curriculum. It emphasizes the
importance of empowering students to become critical
thinkers and agents of social change (Freire, 1970;
Gounari & Grollios, 2010). This approach suggests that
neoliberal curricula may undermine critical pedagogy
by prioritizing standardization and compliance over
critical inquiry and social justice (Au, 2012).
Furthermore, the emphasis on standardized testing
and accountability, driven by neoliberal agendas, has
been criticized for narrowing the curriculum and
focusing on measurable outcomes rather than holistic
development (Au, 2021; Close, Amrein-Beardsley, &
Collins, 2020). This can lead to a neglect of subjects and
skills that are not easily quantifiable, such as creativity,
critical thinking, and social-emotional learning
(Goodlad, 2000).
The European Commission has also played a role in
shaping educational policies in member states,
promoting initiatives such as the "New Skills Agenda
for Europe" (2016) and the "Action Plan for Digital
Education 2021-2027" (2020). These initiatives often
reflect a neoliberal emphasis on skills development,
employability, and digital competence, which can
further influence national curricula.
METHODS
The article employs a critical approach to analyze the
primary education curricula in Greece. It combines
document analysis with critical discourse analysis
(Fairclough, 1995) to examine the official curriculum
documents, policy texts, and related materials. The
analysis
focuses
on
identifying
key
themes,
assumptions, and power relations embedded within
these texts, particularly in relation to neoliberal
ideologies.
Detailed Explanation of Methods:
1.
Document Analysis:
o
This method involves a systematic review of
written materials to extract relevant information. The
documents selected for analysis are:
•
Official primary education curriculum documents
from the Institute of Educational Policy (I.E.P.)
(2023).
•
Key legislative acts related to educational reform in
Greece, including Acts 4623/2019, 4692/2020,
4777/2021,
4823/2021,
4957/2022,
and
5094/2024.
•
Policy documents and reports from the Greek
Ministry of Education.
o
The analysis of these documents includes:
•
Identifying the stated goals and objectives of the
curriculum.
•
Examining the content and structure of the
curriculum.
•
Analyzing the language used to describe teaching
and learning.
•
Identifying any implicit assumptions about the role
of education and the nature of the learner.
2.
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA):
o
CDA is a method used to analyze how power
relations and ideologies are constructed and maintained
through language. It goes beyond the surface level of
the text to uncover the hidden meanings and social
implications.
o
In this article, CDA is used to:
•
Analyze how neoliberal ideologies are embedded in
the language of the curriculum documents and
policy texts.
•
Identify the dominant discourses about education,
such as the emphasis on skills and employability.
•
Examine how these discourses shape the way
teachers and students understand their roles and
responsibilities.
•
Explore how power relations are exercised through
the control of language and knowledge in the
curriculum.
3.
Theoretical Framework:
o
The analysis is informed by the theoretical
European International Journal of Pedagogics
3
https://eipublication.com/index.php/eijp
European International Journal of Pedagogics
frameworks of critical pedagogy (Gounari, 2021;
Grollios & Gounari, 2016) and neoliberal educational
policy (Hill, 2001), which provide a lens for
understanding the ideological underpinnings of the
curriculum and its potential impact on educational
practices and student outcomes.
o
Critical pedagogy emphasizes the importance
of empowering students to become critical thinkers
and agents of social change. It challenges the
traditional view of education as a neutral transmission
of knowledge and instead sees it as a site of power
struggles and social reproduction.
o
Neoliberal educational policy, on the other
hand, promotes market-based principles in education,
such as competition, accountability, and efficiency. It
often leads to a focus on skills and employability, and
the standardization of curriculum and assessment.
By combining document analysis with critical discourse
analysis and drawing on the theoretical frameworks of
critical pedagogy and neoliberal educational policy, the
article aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced
understanding of the complex relationship between
neoliberalism and primary education curricula in
Greece.
RESULTS
The analysis of the primary education curricula in
Greece reveals several key trends that reflect the
influence of neoliberal educational policies:
•
Emphasis on Skills and Employability: The
curriculum increasingly emphasizes the development
of skills that are deemed essential for the labor market,
such as digital literacy, problem-solving, and
adaptability. This focus on employability can be seen in
the integration of vocational elements into the primary
education curriculum, potentially at the expense of a
broader, more holistic education.
•
Standardization and Accountability: There is a
growing emphasis on standardized testing and
accountability measures to assess student learning and
teacher effectiveness. This drive for measurable
outcomes can lead to a narrowing of the curriculum,
with a focus on subjects and skills that are easily
quantifiable, such as mathematics and language arts
(Grollios, 2022a).
•
Centralization of Curriculum Control: Recent
reforms have led to increased centralization of
curriculum control, with the Ministry of Education
playing a more prominent role in determining
curriculum
content
and
implementation.
This
centralization can limit teacher autonomy and
creativity, potentially hindering the development of
innovative and contextually relevant pedagogical
practices.
•
Integration of Technology: The curriculum
promotes the integration of technology into teaching
and learning, reflecting the broader emphasis on digital
skills in a knowledge-based economy. While technology
can enhance learning opportunities, there are concerns
about equitable access and the potential for technology
to be used to reinforce existing inequalities.
•
Weakening of Critical Pedagogy: The emphasis
on standardization, accountability, and skills-based
learning may undermine the principles of critical
pedagogy, which prioritize student empowerment,
critical thinking, and social justice. There is a risk that the
curriculum may prioritize compliance and conformity
over critical inquiry and social action.
DISCUSSION
The findings of this analysis suggest that neoliberal
educational policies have had a significant impact on the
primary education curricula in Greece. The emphasis on
skills, standardization, and accountability reflects a
broader trend towards aligning education with the
needs of the market economy.
This focus on market-oriented goals raises concerns
about the potential for the curriculum to neglect other
important aspects of education, such as the
development of critical thinking, social responsibility,
and holistic well-being. As some scholars argue, an
overemphasis on economic outcomes can undermine
European International Journal of Pedagogics
4
https://eipublication.com/index.php/eijp
European International Journal of Pedagogics
the broader goals of education, such as fostering
democratic citizenship and promoting social justice
(Aronowitz & Giroux, 1985; Noddings, n.d.).
Furthermore, the centralization of curriculum control
and the increased use of standardized testing can limit
teacher autonomy and creativity, potentially leading to
a more rigid and less engaging learning environment.
Teachers may feel pressured to teach to the test,
rather than focusing on fostering students' critical
thinking and problem-solving skills.
The integration of technology into the curriculum also
presents both opportunities and challenges. While
technology can enhance learning and provide access to
a wealth of information, it is important to ensure that
all students have equitable access to technology and
that it is used in ways that promote critical thinking and
digital literacy, rather than simply reinforcing existing
inequalities (Martínez-Virto & Rodríguez Fernádez,
2018).
Moreover, the current educational policies and
curricula seem to overlook the emotional aspects of
learning. As researchers like Cabanas and Illouz (2020)
have noted, there's a growing emphasis on happiness
and positive psychology within neoliberal frameworks,
which can sometimes oversimplify complex emotional
and social realities, potentially neglecting the role of
critical emotions in learning and social change.
CONCLUSION
This article has argued that neoliberal educational
policies have significantly shaped the primary
education curricula in Greece, leading to a greater
emphasis on skills, standardization, and accountability.
These trends raise concerns about the potential for the
curriculum to neglect broader educational goals, such
as critical thinking, social justice, and holistic
development.
It is crucial for educators, policymakers, and
researchers to engage in critical dialogue about the
direction of education and to advocate for curricula
that promote equity, social justice, and the full
development of all students. Future research should
continue to examine the long-term impact of
neoliberal policies on educational practices and
student outcomes, and to explore alternative
approaches to curriculum development that prioritize
more humanistic and socially just goals (Owens, 2022;
Houser, 2023; Zachou & Sounoglou, in press; Zachou,
2022).
REFERENCES
Aronowitz, S., & Giroux, H. (1985). Education under
siege. London: Bergin and Garvey.
Aubrey, K., & Riley, A. (2020). Understanding and using
challenging educational theories. London: SAGE.
Au, W. (2012). Education, consciousness, and the
politics of knowing. New York: Routledge.
Au, W. (2021). Unequal by design: High-stakes testing
and the standardization of inequality. New York:
Routledge.
Benjamin, W. (1990). Theses on the philosophy of
history. In S. Bronner & B. Kellner (Eds.), Critical Theory
and Society (pp. 255
–
263). Routledge.
Cabanas, E., & Illouz, E. (2020). Happiness: How the
industry of happiness rules our lives. Athens: Polis.
Close, K., Amrein-Beardsley, A., & Collins, C. (2020).
Putting teacher evaluation systems on the map: An
overview of states’ teacher evaluation systems post–
Every Student Succeeds Act. Education Policy Analysis
Archives, 28(58), 58.
European Commission. (2016). New skills agenda for
Europe: Working together to boost human capital,
employability
and
competitiveness.
lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EL/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52016DC0381&from=
EN
European Commission. (2020). Action plan for digital
education 2021
–
2027: Redefining education and
training
for
the
digital
age.
https://eurlex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EL/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0624&from=
EN
Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical discourse analysis. London
and New York: Longman.
Goodlad, J. (2000). Education and democracy. Phi Delta
Kappan, 82(1), 86
–
89.
Greek Parliament. (2021). Proceedings from the session
on Law 4823/2021.
Gounari, P., & Grollios, G. (Eds.). (2010). Critical
pedagogy. Athens: GUTENBERG.
Gounari, P., & Grollios, G. (2012). Educational reform in
Greece: Central concepts and a critique. Journal of
Pedagogy, 3(2), 303
–
318.
Gounari, P. (2021). From Twitter to Capitol Hill: Far-right
authoritarian populist discourses, social media and
critical pedagogy. Boston: Brill.
Grollios, G. (2011). Progressive education and
curriculum. Thessaloniki: Epikentro.
Gounari, P. (2016). Liberating and critical pedagogy in
Greece: Historical routes and perspective. Athens:
GUTENBERG.
Grollios, G., & Liambas, A. (2021)
. New Democracy’s
current education policy. Critical Education(2), 14
–
29.
Grollios, G. (2022a). Evaluation and differentiated
European International Journal of Pedagogics
5
https://eipublication.com/index.php/eijp
European International Journal of Pedagogics
teaching in the new primary school curricula.
Educational Review, 73, 11
–
24.
Grollios, G. (2022b). The perspective of new curriculum
design. Bookmark for Education and Society, 16, 10
–
15.
Hill, D. (2001). Equality, ideology and education policy.
In H. Dave & M. Cole (Eds.), Schooling and equality:
Fact, concept and policy (pp. 7
–
34). London:
Routledge.
