Together for Children & the Ministry of Education Sign Memorandum of Cooperation
Together for Children and the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for the implementation of the “STEM Education & Soft Skills” program in schools across the Attica region, marking an important new chapter for this innovative educational initiative.
The program, which has been successfully delivered at the Marasleio Teaching School in collaboration with the Department of Primary Education of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) since October 2024, will now be introduced to secondary education.
During the 2026–2027 school year, the program will be launched at the 4th Junior High School of Ilion Μunicipality in Attca, with plans for further expansion to additional schools in the future. Participation will be offered free of charge to students of the host school, as well as to students from neighbouring schools, subject to available places
The program combines STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) with the development of essential soft skills through hands-on, experiential and collaborative learning. Its goal is to strengthen students’ knowledge of science, technology and digital literacy while fostering key life skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, creativity, communication, empathy, emotional intelligence and decision-making. By learning through practice, students are encouraged to collaborate, solve real-world problems and use technology as a tool for creativity and innovation.
Expanding the program to public schools represents an important step towards promoting a modern educational approach that supports the holistic development of young people by connecting academic learning with the skills needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving world.
Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Sofia Zacharaki said:
“The development of soft skills and STEM education are two closely interconnected pillars of modern education. Effective STEM learning is not based solely on technical knowledge. Students are encouraged to collaborate, communicate, design, test different solutions and evaluate their outcomes. This is precisely why soft skills must be developed alongside scientific and technological knowledge. Soft skills enable students to apply what they learn effectively, while STEM provides them with the tools to better understand the world and drive innovation. We are delighted to launch this collaboration with Together for Children and sincerely thank the organisation for its consistent and meaningful support of students, educators and the wider school community. “
Alexandra Martinou, President of Together for Children, commented:
«Η υπογραφή του Μνημονίου Συνεργασίας σηματοδοτεί ένα σημαντικό βήμα για την περαιτέρω ανάπτυξη του προγράμματος «Εκπαίδευση STEM & Ήπιες Δεξιότητες». Η επιτυχημένη πορεία του στο Μαράσλειο μας έδωσε τη βεβαιότητα ότι βρισκόμαστε στον σωστό δρόμο και σήμερα έχουμε τη χαρά να το βλέπουμε να επεκτείνεται στα δημόσια σχολεία, προσφέροντας σε ακόμη περισσότερους μαθητές και μαθήτριες την ευκαιρία να αναπτύξουν τόσο τις γνώσεις τους όσο και πολύτιμες δεξιότητες ζωής. Σε έναν κόσμο όπου η τεχνολογία εξελίσσεται με πρωτόγνωρους ρυθμούς, πιστεύουμε ότι η μεγαλύτερη επένδυση παραμένει ο άνθρωπος. Η μεγαλύτερη πρόκληση είναι να ενθαρρύνουμε τα παιδιά να αξιοποιούν την τεχνολογία με γνώση, κρίση και ανθρωπιά. Ευχαριστώ θερμά την Υπουργό Παιδείας, Θρησκευμάτων και Αθλητισμού και τα στελέχη του Υπουργείου για την εμπιστοσύνη και τη συνεργασία, καθώς και το Παιδαγωγικό Τμήμα του ΕΚΠΑ για την πολύτιμη επιστημονική του συμβολή.»
