Director of 3rd EPAL Chalandri removed following allegations of student exploitation

The Director of Secondary Education for Athens B, Nikolaos Zarkadoulas, has ordered the immediate removal of the principal of the 3rd EPAL Chalandri from her post. This decision follows serious allegations from students and parents claiming that the principal forced students to perform manual labor, such as digging ditches with hoes to drain rainwater, in exchange for erasing school absences. Parents reported that this work was conducted without their consent or proper supervision, and that the absences were ultimately not cleared as promised. An official Sworn Administrative Inquiry (EDE) into the matter is currently in progress to investigate these practices. The school is reportedly under student occupation as a protest against what pupils describe as an authoritarian environment and the cancellation of educational trips. Additional tension stems from a previous incident on December 15 involving an injury to a student by a teacher during a protest. Students and parents also met with the administration on January 12 to address these grievances, but reported receiving only vague responses regarding the status of absences. The Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports confirmed the director’s removal via an official announcement following the public outcry.