From Policy Commitment to School Practice: Structural Constraints on Inclusive Primary Education in Greece

Abstract

Although inclusive education is firmly established in international rights frameworks and Greek education policy, its implementation remains constrained by structural barriers. This qualitative single-case study examines how institutional conditions shape inclusive education in a Greek public primary school serving approximately 180–200 students across six grade levels. Drawing on school practices, institutional records, and reflective practitioner narratives, the study identifies staffing instability, physical inaccessibility, unclear accountability, and socioeconomic pressures as key constraints. The findings reveal that inclusive practices rely heavily on local agency and professional commitment, with educators improvising adaptations and reconstructing collaborative routines to compensate for inadequate systemic support. While these efforts sustain participation, they render inclusion fragile and dependent on individual initiative. Through policy-enactment and critical-inclusion perspectives, the study demonstrates a persistent misalignment between policy ambitions and institutional capacity. It argues that sustainable inclusion requires stable staffing, accessible infrastructure, clearly defined responsibilities, and accountability frameworks that recognize context-responsive educational work. The case contributes to international debates by illustrating how systemic shortcomings are translated into everyday challenges in Greek primary education.