The foundations of the Greek educational system were laid in the period 1833-37, when the institutional framework of the Greek state was shaped. A centralized structure was adopted at that time, along with complete control by the Ministry and uniformity in educational programmes; the particularities of regions included in the Greek state were not taken into consideration. These tendencies had already appeared in the first efforts at setting up an educational system in the years of governor I. Kapodistrias. During the Regency period, these directions became consolidated. In fact, the Bavarian educational system was adopted almost in its entirety. This fact has to do with the descent of Otto and the members of the Regency; however, the Bavarian model was very much appreciated in Europe and important aspects of it had been applied in other European states as well. Count Mauer, a member of the Regency who was competent on educational issues, an eminent jurist and a philhellene, who had distinguished himself during the War of Independence, is considered to be the architect of educational institutions in the Greek state.

During this period, elementary (1834) and secondary education was organized (1836) and the University of Otto (1837) was founded; the latter, during the period of the inter-regnum, was renamed National University. The structure of the educational system was defined and the guidelines of the educational programmes were established. The structure of the system included a seven-grade Elementary school, a three-grade Helliniko, a four-grade secondary school and a University with at first four schools (of Law, Theology, Philosophy and Medicine). The elementary school, financed by the municipalities, provided the students with elementary knowledge, mostly reading, writing and arithmetic. A student could go from the fourth grade of the elementary shcool to the Helliniko (through examinations), and from there (again through examinations) to the secondary school, which basically functioned as a preparatory school for the University. As regards the education of male teachers, the Didaskalion (teacher training school) was founded in 1834, based at Nauplion at first, but soon transferred to Athens. The Didaskalion was closed in 1864, but refounded in 1878, while new ones were founded in Tripolis and Corfu (1880) as well as Larissa (1882). The education of female teachers was provided by the Teaching Training School of the Philekpedephtiki Etaireia (pro-educational committee), (Arsakeion), founded in 1837, but mainly by private institutes known as Parthenagogeia (girls' schools). Finally, throughout the entire 19th century, technical and vocational training remained underdeveloped.