29-07-16 EOPPEP cerification agency may takes disciplinary action, shuts down illegal schools

The National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) conducts, during the operation permit issuance process and following complaints, on- site inspections of institutions to which it has issued permits, to verify compliance with the terms of the permit. It has proceeded with corrective actions regarding violations in the infrastructure of institutions and has even revoked permits.

When EOPPEP receives complaints about institutions operating without a permit, it immediately informs the competent education ministry bureau and the special secretariat of the state tax bureau, as well as local prosecutors, regarding violations of the existing institutional framework, so as to remedy the illegality.

The above was noted by Education Minister Nikos Filis in response to a parliamentary question from New Democracy MP Vasileios Giogiakas regarding illegally operating schools.

According to law 4093 of 2012, “Permits for centres of lifelong learning (level one and level two), for tutoring centres (frontistiria), and foreign language centres are issued to individuals, unions of people, and public law legal entities, by decision of the Board of EOPPEP, and are published in the Government Gazette.

A July 21, 2016 EOPPEP document notes that the issuance, renewal and amendment of permits for foreign language centres, secondary school tutoring and lifelong learning centres (1 and 2) are based on the amended law 4093 of 2012, which also covers private primary and secondary schools, vocation training institutes, and private colleges.

The provisions of the above law ensure that private institutions, to which the state cedes permission to provide the public good of education, fulfil the building codes regarding suitability and the school’s obligations to the state and its employees.

The law provides that permits for institutions that cease to meet the set criteria may be revoked.