The simple fact is, with the state of the Greek education system, most students, in order to prepare for university exams, must take additional classes.

Since that's the message all parents receive at some point during their children's school years, we thought we would ask a private education professional why that is.

"Well, one reason, and probably the most important one, is that university entrance exams are just too difficult with too many subjects," said Pepi Karantinou of the Foreign Language Center in Kokkini Hani. "Without additional classes in various subjects, not only language, Greek students just will not be properly prepared for a continued academic life."

Mrs. Karantinou ("everybody knows me as Pepi") was born in the village of Dafnes but moved to Iraklion as a youngster, where she attended high school.

"If I didn't take additional classes at that time, I would not have been able to pursue my goals," she said.

Those goals included studying at Cambridge in the UK where she also taught the children at the school of the Greek community, gratis.  "Actually, I originally wanted to be a journalist," she confessed. "I was always enthralled with the written word. But once in the classroom, I discovered how wonderful it was to work with children and decided to pursue it."

And, pursue it she did! When Pepi returned to Crete in 1983, she was immediately sought after by some of the best language schools in Iraklion.

One year later, in 1984, Pepi opened her own school in Kokkini Hani, The Foreign Language Center, which is now celebrating its 25^th anniversary as one of the top private education facilities in the area. With a staff of four other professional educators, the school, with summer and winter sessions, instructs a fair number of students a year in various foreign languages, such as English, German, Italian, and starting this month, Russian.

"Of course, as times change so does the demand to learn new languages," Pepi explained. "For example, now many adult students are interested in learning Russian."

The Foreign Language Center accepts students of all ages, beginning with eight-year-olds. The classes range from youngsters to teenagers to adult.

"Teenagers are the most difficult to teach, and they present the biggest challenge to my staff," she admitted. "But the younger ones are wonderful, so eager to learn. But I have no favourites. While I'm involved in administrative duties, I still sit in on all the classes, at least once a week, in all the different age groups."

In addition to her duties at the school, Pepi is the mother of two girls. The youngest one, aged 16 and a high school student, is currently receiving private lessons.

"But not from me," Pepi added quickly. "That's someone else's responsibility!"