KALAMOS, Greece — The last school on the remote Greek island of Kalamos will close next year after its two remaining students, both sixth graders, leave for middle school on the mainland, teacher Chryssa Ntalaka told The Associated Press. The kindergarten shut three years ago, though toys and picture books remain on its shelves.
Greek authorities closed 75 schools this year and suspended or extended suspensions at more than 400 others due to falling enrollment, according to AP reporting. Kalamos, with a year-round population of 80, had 40 children in local schools and daycare a decade ago. Seven teenagers now commute by ferry to mainland schools, sometimes missing classes when winds make the crossing unsafe.
Byron Kotzamanis, co-founder of the Institute of Demographic Research in Athens, said closing schools accelerates youth migration, deepening depopulation. “Leaving means fewer and fewer people — fewer and fewer births. It means depopulation and dead settlements that will become nursing homes,” Kotzamanis said.
The trend mirrors broader demographic challenges across Europe, where 16 of the world’s 20 oldest populations are located, according to the World Population Review. Remote islands and mountain villages are often the first to lose schools and services as young people leave. About 17 million people live on more than 4,000 islands across the European Union, with Greece alone accounting for around 200.
