Evkarpia Nursery School Receives 2025 European Award for Citizenship Education Focus

The Fourth Nursery School of Evkarpia, located within the Greek municipality of Pavlos Melas, has been conferred the 2025 European Innovative Teaching Award (EITA). This distinction recognizes the school's successful implementation of a project under the Erasmus+ program, specifically the initiative titled “Technology and Democracy in the Nursery School, through innovative pedagogical approaches,” identified by the code 2022-1-EL01-KA122-SCH-000075580.

The EITA for 2025 centered on the theme of “Citizenship Education – Participation in Democratic Life, Common Values and Civic Engagement,” a mandate the Evkarpia project addressed through a comprehensive framework. The awarded initiative integrated advanced educational techniques, including Performance Based Learning and the 'Thinking out of the Box' concept. These methods were grounded in established progressive philosophies such as Reggio Emilia pedagogy and extensive Outdoor Education practices.

The school’s operational structure reflects a commitment to holistic development, functioning as a dynamic organization with specialized learning zones. These zones include an Atelier Reggio Emilia equipped for Photo, Mechanics, and Robotics, alongside dedicated Garden and Playground spaces for experiential learning. Further supporting sensory engagement are distinct areas such as a sensory room, a circle of scents, a sensory path, and an aromatic garden, all designed to stimulate diverse forms of expression.

Formal acknowledgment of this educational achievement involved two key ceremonial events. The primary award reception occurred in Brussels, where the school's director, Ms. Gianna Kaplani, accepted the accolade. A subsequent recognition event was hosted in Athens on December 8-9, 2024, by IKY, the National Body for Lifelong Learning.

The Erasmus+ program, which supports education, training, youth, and sport across Europe, is allocating a budget of €26.2 billion for its 2021-2027 cycle, with an emphasis on social inclusion and promoting democratic participation. The KA122-SCH short-term projects, like the one Evkarpia undertook, serve as an accessible entry point for schools to gain European mobility experience over a period of six to eighteen months.