Niki's education lecture

This is Niki Karavasili, Katula's former student who has a degree in archeology. As Katula's teaching assistant on this trip, she's been traveling along with us and often translating for us, since she's Greek.

On Thursday morning, she gave a talk on Greek education. In Greece state universities are free, so students (and parents!) spend their senior year of high school preparing for a big test. Like the SATs, top scores determine where you will go to school. Students who don't get in often end up paying to go to university in neighboring countries.

She believes the education system here is badly in need of reform. She dislikes how there are never multiple choice exams. Instead students must memorize portions of textbooks and regurgitate them verbatim. She hates that Greek professors are unapproachable. If students want to speak to professors, they must schedule a formal appointment, rather than hang around after class to chat.