Dwindling numbers of students taking up Greek at VCE level has become a cause of concern, as numbers emerge on the steady decline of student numbers over the past decade.
A study compiled by Yiannis Milides, Principal of the Greek Language Schools of the GOCMV and Vice-President of the MGTAV, have revealed the gradual decline in enrolments for VCE Greek, reaching a shocking 48.2 per cent decrease on student numbers between 2001 and 2011. What is interesting is this alarming decline comes despite students studying Greek consistently achieve high marks each year. The average grades of VCE Greek have not fallen below 70 per cent in a decade.
The study surmises Greek parents are failing to see the benefits of studying Greek, in preference of more popular subjects such as Maths, Sciences and Legal Studies. Presumably students also reject studying Greek if they wish to go on to study popular subjects such as Psychology and Law in university.
Milides described in his study that parents and students may not realise that studying Greek at secondary level can beneficial for entering university. As an example, Milides describes it is not compulsory for students to study Legal Studies to get into a Law degree. The study also found that after scaling average results for subjects such as Psychology and Legal Studies tend to be lower than results in Greek, which is automatically scaled higher due to the difficulty of the subject.
The declining numbers at secondary education levels has resulted in a flow-on effect in tertiary education. At the start of this year, Monash University found itself struggling to continue its Greek Language Program, which currently requires a minimum of 70 students to ensure the future of the subject. There are currently 50 students enrolled over three courses – at Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced levels. It is now the end of the first semester of the year, and the future is looking bleak for the course as the program depends on the ability of the Greek community to finance the salary Alexandros Giannadakis, a leading teacher in the department seconded to the Greek Language Program by the Greek Consulate in Melbourne.
The Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria and the Modern Greek Teachers Association of Victoria wishes to invite all Greek language educators in Melbourne to a public community meeting. The meeting, to be presented by Yiannis Milides, will focus on the results and successes of students who studied VCE Greek, and how studying the subject has benefited these students academically and in their awareness of their culture. The meeting also aims to dispel incorrect perceptions and to encourage educators and parents to champion the benefits of studying Greek to high school students.
The continuation of Greek in Australia depends on the willingness of students to take up the language. If current levels of decline were to continue, Greek may soon become obsolete among the younger generations of Greek-Australians.
The meeting for principals of Greek schools will be held at the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne Office, level 3, 168 Lonsdale St. Melbourne, on Sunday 17 June at 3.00 pm.