CZECH EDUCATION SYSTEM Irena Borkovcova Inspection Activity Deputy

CZECH EDUCATION SYSTEM Irena Borkovcova Inspection Activity Deputy Funchal, May 2009

SEVERAL IMPORTANT NUMBERS ON THE CZECH REPUBLIC 1/2 v 10. 38 million inhabitants v 10 487 schools v 1 918 421 pupils v 138 890 teachers 2

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Legislation: Education Act No. 561/2004 Coll. – Act on pre-primary, secondary, tertiary professional and other education • definition of school and quality of schools • legal personality of schools, school self-administration; management of pedagogical processes • the Registry of Schools • evaluation of schools • tasks, duties, competencies of the Czech School Inspectorate 3

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Legislation: Act No. 563/2004 Coll. on pedagogical staff • a pedagogical employee IS NOT a civil servant • duties and rights of pedagogical staff • requested achieved education • state contributions to the education of pedagogical staff 4

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model • schools administered within the framework of state administration • administration: central government, regions (14) and communities • autonomy of regions • regions are responsible for education on its territory, formulate longterm strategies every 2 years • state educational policy in hands of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) 5

Educational system of the Czech republic Administration and management model School autonomy • On January 1, 2003 the law gave all schools the status of independent legal entities and thus a higher degree of autonomy. • School heads are appointed by the school founder (municipality, region or the Ministry) on the basis of a competitive recruitment process. • The school heads have full responsibility Ø quality and efficiency of the educational process Ø adjustment of educational programmes Ø choice of textbooks Ø financial management of the school Ø appointing and dismissing teachers Ø relations with the community and the public. • Under the Education Act, a schoolfounde has to establish a School Council enabling parents, pupils, staff, citizens and others to participate in the administration of schools. 6

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Funding • two sources: per head and running costs funded by the founder, salaries and teaching aids allocated from the state budget by the MEYS • based on the per capita principle • private schools running costs (since 1990) funded on the same basis • denominational schools receive the same funding as public schools 7

Higher Education Institution Doctoral programmes Tertiary Professional School 15 -19 Secondary education with School-leaving exam general fields other fields Secondary education with apprenticeship certificate Secondary education 4 -years course 6 -14 8 -years course Basic School – lower-secondary level Conservatoires Bachelor's programmes Dance Conservatoires 20+ Master´s programmes Basic School – primary level 3 -5 age Kindergarten – pre-primary level 8

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Pre-primary education • education based on the Framework Educational Programme (approved by the Ministry) • target age group: 3 to 6 • attendance is not compulsory • the pre-school year must be accessible to all free of charge (for other years parents can be asked to pay a maximum of 50% of running costs covered by community) 9

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Primary education • school attendance compulsory for 9 years (pupils aged 6 to 15) • basic school – divided into two stages (first stage: age 6 to 10, second stage: age 11 to 15) • second stage can be realized at a lower stage of gymnázium („grammar school“, „lycée“) (11/13 to 15) – at the end of the 5 th or 7 th year pupils can leave the basic school and attend the eight/six-year gymnázium • catchment areas defined, but the choice of school is free 10

Framework Curriculum Timetable (1) Primary Educational Areas Subjects Lower-secondary Education 1 st – 5 th grade 6 ht – 9 th grade Minimum Time Allotment Czech Language and Literature 35 15 Foreign Language 9 12 Mathematics and its Application 20 15 Information and Communication Technologies 1 1 Man and his World 12 - - 11 Language and Communication Man and Society History Civics Physics Man and Nature - Chemistry - Natural Science - Geography - 21 11

Framework Curriculum Timetable (2) Primary Educational Areas Subjects Lower-secondary Education 1 st – 5 th grade 6 th – 9 th grade Minimum Time Allotment Arts and Culture Man and Health Music Fine Arts Health Education Physical Education 12 10 10 10 Man and the World of Work 5 3 Cross-curricular Subjects C C Available Time Allotment 14 24(1) Hours in Total 118 122 C = an obligation to include a subject in the curriculum, the hours needed may be drawn from available hours (1) The School has an obligation to offer a second foreign language (6 hours) to pupils from the 8 th grade latest. If the pupil prefers other optional subjects to the second foreign language, he/she has to choose one from a variety of 12 such subjects, which would take the same amount of hours.

Educational system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Organization of the process of primary education • the school year begins on September 1 st and ends on August 31 st • teaching lesson lasts 45 minutes • max. 22 -26 lessons per week at the first stage and max. 30 -32 lessons per week at the second stage • number of pupils per class is min. 17 and max. 30 13

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Assessment • pupils assessed by teachers on a scale 1 -5 • based on written and oral tasks • the results of continuing assessment summarized in a report at the end of each of the two semesters of the school year • verbal assessment authorized at all educational levels (since 2005) • pupils in difficulty may be made to repeat the year once in every stage 14

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Upper secondary and post-secondary education Types of schools: § general upper secondary (gymnázium) (age 15 to 19) § technical upper secondary (SOŠ) (age 15 to 18/19) § vocational upper secondary (SOU) (age 15 to 17/18/19) § post-secondary (SOŠ+SOU) (age 19 to 21) 15

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Criteria for admission to upper secondary education • • compulsory education completed success in entrance examination (written/oral) organized by the school pupils apply for one school of their choice second round of entrance examination takes place for those who were not successful in the first round • it is possible to be accepted at the post-secondary course (nástavbové studium) after completing 3 -year study at a vocational upper secondary school 16

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Assessment All upper secondary schools organize their own final examination: • maturitní zkouška, in 4 -year courses and in a nástavbové studium, the school leavers are awarded vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce • závěrečná zkouška in 2/3 -year courses, the school leavers are awarded vysvědčení o závěrečné zkoušce • závěrečná zkouška in vocational schools (2/3 -year courses, where a part of the examination is practical; the leavers are awarded a výuční list. 17

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model Tertiary education • Vyšší odborná škola (tertiary professional school) (19 to 21/22) • Vysoká škola (higher education institution) (19 to 22/26) • tertiary professional schools provide students with advanced technical knowledge • curriculum is prepared by the school and accredited by the MEYS 18

Education system of the Czech republic Administration and management model • higher education institutions are either university-type or nonuniversity type • the study programmes are prepared by individual institutions/faculties and approved by the Accreditation Commission • to access the higher education the maturitní zkouška certificate is the minimum entrance qualification for all tertiary education programmes • each institution defines its own admission criteria and determines the content of the entrance examination 19

Education system of the Czech republic Working timetable of teachers Teacher education • 4 -year teacher training for pre-compulsory education is organized in general at the upper secondary level; there also university courses at Bachelor or Master level (3/4 years) • future teachers at other levels of education must obtain university qualification, generally Master level (4/5 years of studies) 20

Education system of the Czech republic Working timetable of teachers Teachers • at the first stage the same teacher usually teaches all subjects • at the second stage teachers teach 2 subjects, in which they are specialized, in more classes • conditions of service for teachers, other educational and noneducational staff at schools set out in the Labour Code • the number of working hours for educational staff (in pre-primary, basic, secondary, and tertiary professional education) and academic staff is determined by the Labour Code 21

Education system of the Czech republic Working timetable of teachers • teachers' working hours set by the Labour Code at 40 hours per week (include direct educational activity set by the number of working hours per week and other activities associated with education) • the responsibilities and the general workload of teachers are set by the Education Act, Act on Educational Staff • weekly teaching hours are equal for all teachers of the same category • the law lists some exceptions for possible reduction of teaching hours 22

Education system of the Czech republic Working timetable of teachers Educational staff Number of hours of educational activity Teacher School head Teacher of the nursery school 31 12 -24 Teacher of the basic school 22, 20 -22 8 -16, 5 -8, 4 -16 Teacher of the high-school, conservatoires and schools providing tertiary professional education 21, 21 -25, 25 -35, 21 - 2 -6 26 Teacher of the basic school of art providing basic education in individual fields of art 21, 23 3 -9 23

Education system of the Czech republic Working timetable of teachers Holidays • 8 weeks of holidays for all educational staff • other forms of legal absence included in the Labour Code • if the number of days on sick leave exceed 100 in one year, the employee's holiday is reduced by one twelfth • generally the teachers take their vacations during school holidays • employers may allow exceptions from this rule in special cases 24

Education system of the Czech republic Teachers' evaluation Evaluation of teachers • educational staff assessed by their school heads, who are responsible for scientific and professional quality of education • no criteria or methods have been set centrally for the assessment • results of assessment form the basis for setting personal allowances/bonuses • methods of personal evaluation: peer assessment by a colleague, selfevaluation and assessment by pupils or parents are also being developed 25

Educational system of the Czech republic Teachers' evaluation • assessment of the academic staff is an internal process regulated by the school • usually carried out during the transition from one qualification stage to another • the majority of schools take use of evaluation by students 26

Quality assurance • Education at school facilities is evaluated by the Czech School Inspectorate. • School self-evaluation has become the basis for drawing up the annual report on school activities, and one of the documents to be used for observations made by the Czech School Inspectorate. The Ministry lays down a framework structure, rules and deadlines for self-evaluations carried out by schools in an implementing legal regulation. • Evaluation of a relevant school or school facility may be made by the founder in accordance with criteria published in advance. 27

Czech School Inspectorate The Czech School Inspectorate is an administrative authority with nation-wide powers which shall be an organisational unit of the state and an accounting unit. The Czech School Inspectorate is divided in terms of organisation into the head office of the Czech School Inspectorate with its registered seat in Prague and offices of the Czech School Inspectorate. The Czech School Inspectorate is headed by the Chief School Inspector. He/she shall be appointed and dismissed in accordance with the provisions of the Act on Civil Service. The Role of the CSI (Sec. 173 -176 of the Education Act No. 561/2004 Coll. - Act on pre- primary, secondary, tertiary professional and other education) 28

Chief School Inspector INFORMATICS, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SECTION INSPECTION SECTION ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATION SECTION Chief School Inspector Office Department Inspection Management Department Economic Administration Department ICT and Analytics Department Regional Inspectorates (14) Economics Department External Affairs Department Human Resources 29

Czech School Inspectorate The Czech Republic Czech School Inspectorate 10. 38 million inhabitants 278 school inspectors 10 487 schools 1 918 421 pupils 138 890 teachers 3 -year inspection activity cycle 109 control workers (supervisors) 151 administrators TOTAL 538 Annual share of 0. 28 % is allocated from the total education budget. 30

For detailed information see additional handouts • Plan of Principal Assignments of the Czech School Inspectorate in the School Year 2008/2009 • The Criteria for Evaluation of Conditions, Progress and Results of Education and School Services in the School Year 2008/2009 31

CD content • • • The Education System in the Czech Republic ACT No. 561 of 24 th September 2004 on Pre-school, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education(the Education Act) ACT No. 563 of 24 th September 2004 on Pedagogical Staff and on the Amendment to Some Other Acts The Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education Framework Education Programme for Secondary General Education (Grammar Schools) Organisation Diagram of the Czech School Inspectorate Plan of Principal Assignments of the Czech School Inspectorate in the School Year 2008/2009 The Criteria for Evaluation of Conditions, Progress and Results of Education and School Services Insp. IS – Information System for Collection and Evaluation of Data from the Inspection Activity in the Czech School Inspectorate The Annual Report of the Czech School Inspectorate on the School Year 2007/2008 Contact 32

Thank you for your attention! Czech School Inspectorate Frani Sramka 37 150 21 Praha 5 www. csicr. cr tel. : +420 251 023 245 fax: +420 251 566 789 mailto: irena. borkovcova@csicr. cz 33