Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management (GJEFM) · Research article · Open access
From Curriculum Reform to Sustainable Implementation: A Four-Condition Framework for Inquiry-Based Science Education in Greek Primary Schools
Konstantinos T. Kotsis
29 May 2026 · Vol. 2, Issue 5, pp. 76-89
DOI: 10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E5/2026-08
Download full text (PDF)Cite this article
What is this article about?
The recent reform of the Greek primary science curriculum has repositioned inquiry-based learning (IBL) as a central organizing principle of science teaching from Grades 1 to 6. Although the curriculum formally promotes a shift from transmissive instruction to student-centered inquiry, the long-term success of this reform depends not only on curricular design but also on the systemic conditions that support classroom implementation.
Article at a glance
- Published
- 29 May 2026
- Volume / issue / pages
- Vol. 2, Issue 5, pp. 76-89
- ISSN
- 3117-6771 (online) · 3117-6763 (print)
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 — free to read and reuse with attribution
- Peer review
- Double-blind, at least two independent reviewers
- Publisher
- EP Journals Group
Abstract
The recent reform of the Greek primary science curriculum has repositioned inquiry-based learning (IBL) as a central organizing principle of science teaching from Grades 1 to 6. Although the curriculum formally promotes a shift from transmissive instruction to student-centered inquiry, the long-term success of this reform depends not only on curricular design but also on the systemic conditions that support classroom implementation. This article examines how IBL is operationalized in the new Greek primary science curriculum and analyzes the conditions required for its sustained enactment beyond pilot and experimental contexts. Drawing on curriculum documents, policy texts, and existing empirical and theoretical studies on Greek primary science education, the article develops a four-condition framework for sustainable IBL implementation: teachers’ epistemological preparation, assessment alignment, institutional mediation through experimental model schools, and pedagogically meaningful integration of digital inquiry. The analysis suggests that the curriculum’s inquiry-oriented ambitions exceed the current level of teacher preparedness and remain constrained by summative assessment traditions, uneven infrastructure, and the risk of using digital tools as substitutes rather than supports for authentic inquiry. The article argues that the reform represents an important epistemological advance in Greek science education, but its effectiveness will depend on coherent professional development, assessment reform, institutional support, and careful integration of digital technologies within the inquiry cycle.
Keywords: Inquiry-based learning, primary science education, science curriculum, teacher professional development, Greece.
Cite this article
Konstantinos T. Kotsis (2026). From Curriculum Reform to Sustainable Implementation: A Four-Condition Framework for Inquiry-Based Science Education in Greek Primary Schools. Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management, 2(5), 76-89. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E5/2026-08
@article{Konstantinos2026,
title = {From Curriculum Reform to Sustainable Implementation: A Four-Condition Framework for Inquiry-Based Science Education in Greek Primary Schools},
author = {Konstantinos T. Kotsis},
journal = {Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {5},
pages = {76-89},
doi = {10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E5/2026-08},
url = {https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E5/2026-08}
}Questions about this article
Who wrote this article?
Konstantinos T. Kotsis.
Where and when was it published?
In Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management, Volume 2, Issue 5, pages 76-89, published by EP Journals Group on 29 May 2026.
Is this article free to read?
Yes. It is open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence, so anyone can read, share and reuse it with attribution.
What is the DOI of this article?
10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E5/2026-08 (https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E5/2026-08).
How do I cite this article?
APA: Konstantinos T. Kotsis (2026). From Curriculum Reform to Sustainable Implementation: A Four-Condition Framework for Inquiry-Based Science Education in Greek Primary Schools. Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management, 2(5), 76-89. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E5/2026-08
More research from GJEFM
- A Proposed Framework for Learning Spontaneous Arabic Speaking Skill from Vocabulary Recognition
Zainur Rijal Abdul Razak · Oct 2026
- A Context-Specific Digital Competence Framework for Physical Education Lecturers at Vietnamese Universities: An Integration of the Digcompedu and TPACK Models
Phan Thanh Viet, Tran Thai Ngoc · Oct 2026
- Public Debt in Nigeria: A Channel to Accelerate Production or Consumption
Amabuike Lucky Ifeanyichukwu, Asiegbulem Afoma Elizabeth, Odo Bridget · Oct 2026
- Automation in Education: What AI Offers for Arabic Language Learning
Zainur Rijal Abdul Razak · Sept 2026
- Analysis of Fire Trends and Losses in Vietnam During 2021–2025
Dinh Ngoc Khanh Linh · Sept 2026