Foreign language education, in the current era, is necessary more than ever, not only as part of formal education, but as an essential tool for matriculating in the cultural and social environment.

The various foreign language centres in the local townships are, mostly, members of Panhellenic Federation of Foreign Language School Owners (PALSO), which monitors the schools and ensures the continuous upgrading of the educational process, according to the directives and the principles of the European Committee on Education, prescribing programs of study and hours of teaching.

Every centre is responsible for its own programs, leading to a "certificate of knowledge" in foreign languages by institutions recognized by ASEP which monitors the time-table and the qualifications of the schools' instructors. With the mandatory continuous education of its professors, the schools continuously upgrade the quality of their provided services.

The duration of the studies in English is seven to eight semesters, or 7-8 years.  If the student continues lessons in summer period, then the studies can be shortened by one or one and a half years. The aim is for the student to acquire a certification of B2 - Lower, according to recommendations by the European Union, at the age of fifteen or a bit earlier.

The Γ1 and Γ2 levels, respectively, certify "very good" and "most excellent" knowledge, and the studies are for at least one year on both levels. Recognized institutions for the English Certification in our country are Michigan, Cambridge, Edexcel, City & Guilds and many others.

It's the same with the German Language only that the studies are for duration of five years for B1 level and six years for B2 level (equivalent to Lower). It is roughly the same for the French Language. In the Italian Language, studies last about a year less than the German for the same level certification.

Recognized certification institutions: for the German Language is Goethe; for the French Language it's the French Institute, and for the Italian Language it's the University of Perugia.

Parents should realize that they make a "choice of life" for their children and must responsibly choose a reliable foreign language centre, basing their choice on educational methods and the use of learning technology.

For more information contact: PALSO at www.palso.gr; PALSO in Iraklion: www.palsoher.gr, or ASEP at www.asep.gr