Greek Island School Closes as Demographic Crisis Empties Communities

The primary school on the Greek island of Kalamos will temporarily close next year after the sixth-grade enrollment dropped to just two students. The educational institution, operating on an island with a population of 80, joins dozens of schools across Greece that are closing due to a sharp decline in the number of children and an aging population.

Schools Closing and Islands Emptying

The decline in student numbers has led authorities in Greece to close 75 schools and suspend classes in more than 400 other educational institutions. School closures cause young people not to stay and eventually leave, explained Byron Kotzamanis, co-founder of the Demographic Research Institute in Athens, in a conversation with the Associated Press. Leaving means fewer and fewer residents, a hollowed-out population, and abandoned settlements turning into nursing homes.

For the few high school students remaining on Kalamos, studying requires daily effort. They are sent to study at schools on the mainland and are forced to cross the Ionian Sea every morning. On days when strong winds make the crossing dangerous, they miss school. A 12th-grade student living on the island told the AP that he loves the place but sees leaving as an inevitable step.

It is clear that I would like to stay here. But there is no option for a future or development here.

The Outlook: Greece's Population to Shrink by 2.5 Million

According to OECD estimates, Greece's population will shrink from 10.5 million people to just eight million by 2050. Young people are becoming a minority, the organization said at a demographic conference held in Athens last month.

Meanwhile, on the Italian island of Stromboli, a school reopened last month after 20 years with just one student, as part of a decision to grant special permits to remote islands to prevent population depletion. Croatia has invested 4.6 billion euros over the past decade in developing kindergartens and renovating primary schools in similar areas.

Population aging is a challenge occupying many nations. In 2024, 3.55 million babies were born in Europe, about half the number recorded in 1964. The fertility rate on the continent stands at 1.34 children per woman, while the number required for population stability is 2.1. In Greece, the rate is even lower, standing at less than 1.25. Following the situation, the European Union announced it will formulate a dedicated strategy to address population shrinkage on islands.