The Life Long Learning Policy in Greece under Deliberation: Aspects of a Formal Exchange of Views

Abstract

The present paper is involved with Lifelong Education in Greece as a means to provide broader population strata skills and abilities enabling them to easier integrate into the labor market within an economic crisis period. The specific educational policy had been under public deliberation on the internet so that its implementation could be based on the opinions generated by the citizens’ society and not merely on parliamentary voting. A total of 8 carriers and 49 individuals participated in the deliberation procedure while their views, standpoints and suggestions were thoroughly investigated on the basis of five thematic units, namely Lifelong Education definition, objectives, perspectives, critique by the citizens and personal benefits and having taken into consideration a broader social demand to further knowledge and qualifications. Thus, the issue of Lifelong Education is tied to the knowledge society and innovation targeting at the educational systems efficiency and effectiveness and, simultaneously, combating the insecurity and uncertainty generated by the socio-economic developments and experienced by the lower social strata and women within a changing and developing society. Besides, a wide reservation among interviewees towards the decentralized authorities in terms of implementing the new policy is made evident by the research findings and their analysis.