Greece is moving to restore a Toronto-based education coordinator after oversight of the office was handled from New York beginning in 2021.
The Ministry of Education said on July 29 that the Toronto Education Coordination Office is reopening by ministerial decision, with support from the Consulate General of Greece in Toronto. The coordinator position was advertised in June, although the ministry has not announced an appointment or said when the office will become fully operational.
Once the position is filled, the office will again have a coordinator based in Toronto rather than remaining under the supervision of the deputy education coordinator in New York.
Education coordinators connect Greece’s education system with schools, teachers and Greek communities abroad. Their work includes supporting educators and assisting Greek-language programs.
Toronto was among 10 overseas coordinator posts advertised by the ministry on June 26. Applications were accepted from June 29 through July 13.
The announcement followed a meeting between Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki and Archbishop-elect Apostolos of Canada, who previously served as Metropolitan of New Jersey.
According to the ministry, Greece supports eight Greek-language education units in Canada, enrolling a combined 1,642 students. Eight teachers assigned from Greece serve those programs, while the government also supplies textbooks and other educational material at no cost.
The figures cover units supported by the Greek government, not every school or language program operating in Canada.
Greek is taught through afternoon and Saturday classes, day and bilingual schools, international-language programs in the Canadian public school system, and higher education.
Zacharaki said the ministry is completing overseas teacher assignments earlier so staffing needs can be addressed on time. She described Greek-language education abroad as a national responsibility and said the government would continue supporting diaspora schools with teachers, books and educational resources.
The current recruitment drive is the first official selection process for overseas education coordinators to proceed since 2014. A separate process began in 2019 but was suspended after national elections were called, according to the ministry.
During the meeting, Apostolos said the Greek language connects diaspora communities with their ancestors and plays an educational and religious role in the lives of younger generations.
Apostolos is familiar to Greek Orthodox communities in the Philadelphia region from his tenure as Metropolitan of New Jersey. In February, he presided over the Divine Liturgy during the Metropolis’ Music and Dance Festival in Philadelphia, attended by more than 500 young people and performers from its communities.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate unanimously elected him Archbishop of Canada on July 22 after accepting Archbishop Sotirios’ resignation from active service.
The appointment of a coordinator and the office’s operational date have not yet been announced.