In today’s digital world, misinformation spreads rapidly, often blurring the line between fact and fiction. Recognizing the need to strengthen young people’s critical thinking, Greece has launched a new pilot program, Καλλιεργώντας Κριτικούς Αναγνώστες (“Cultivating Critical Readers”), aimed at helping students identify and resist fake news.
The initiative, a collaboration between the Ministry of Education, the General Secretariat for Communication & Information, and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, will run for 12 months in 30 middle and high schools across the country, including Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa, Chania, Heraklion, and Kastoria.
Students aged 12–18 will participate in interactive workshops that integrate media analysis into existing subjects such as History, Sociology, and Language. They will also take on roles as reporters, editors, and content creators, producing podcasts, videos, and articles while learning about digital ethics and the impact of algorithms. At the same time, teachers and journalists will receive specialized training to better guide learners in navigating today’s media environment.
The program reflects a broader European shift toward prioritizing media literacy as a core educational competence. Across the EU, initiatives like the Erasmus+ THINK TWICE Project are developing tools, training, and policy recommendations to ensure that educators and learners are equipped to face the challenges of misinformation.
While THINK TWICE is not directly involved in this Greek pilot, both efforts share the same vision: empowering citizens to engage critically and responsibly with information. For Greece, this program is a significant step forward in building a generation of critical readers — a goal that resonates across Europe as societies strive to become more resilient to misinformation.
Source: https://www.iefimerida.gr/ellada/programma-ekpaideyei-mathites-se-fake-news
