Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Education in the Czech Republic in Figures Education in the Czech Republic in Figures Editors: Ministry of ...
Author: Madeline Morris
1 downloads 0 Views 7MB Size
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures Editors: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Institute for Information on Education © MEYS, Prague 2008

The present publication Education in the Czech Republic in Figures provides information about the state and basic development trends in the education system of the Czech Republic. The publication describes the education system in the Czech Republic on the basis of chosen statistical indicators. Apart from chapters dealing with education from pre-primary to higher level, it also includes organisational and legislation conditions for the education system and its funding, data about staff in education, and the relationship between education and prospects on the labour market. Included are not only data for the 2007/08 school year but also for the previous two years thus for the period in which the significant changes were undertaken in the Czech education system due to the new 2004 Education Act and its amendments. Apart from providing overall information on education in the Czech Republic, publication may offer background for evaluation of the previous period to educational policy and decision-makers on all levels, and it may also serve as a source of information necessary for future work. Therefore the publication is aimed both at experts in education and all those who are interested in educational issues. The publication was based on the Annual Report on the State and Development of the Education System in the Czech Republic in 2007 prepared in compliance with Section 10, Par. 1 of the Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional, and Other Education (the Education Act). The Annual Reports have already been published for 11 years. Those already published have provided a picture of the education system and education in the Czech Republic for almost two decades from the turning point in 1989 (when the political and economic conditions in the Czech Republic changed). The authors of the publication hope that it will be beneficial for all its readers who will find in it all necessary data for their work.

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Introduction

3

Content 2007 in Regional Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4

Educational Programmes in Initial Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evaluation of Educational Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conceptual Documents Passed in 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Support of Further Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

Changes in the Organizational and Legislation Base of Education System in 2007 . . .

2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

Amendments of “Education Acts” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Legal Force of the Act on Recognition of Further Education Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amendments in Government Regulations on System of Educational Fields . . . . . . . . . . Changes in Implementary Regulations for the “Education Acts” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Implementary Regulation for the Act on Verification and Recognition of Further Education Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 17 18 19

3

Regional Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7

Pre-Primary Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Compulsory School Attendance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Secondary Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Education in the Conservatoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Education of Pupils with Special Educational Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Tertiary Professional Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 School Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

4

Higher Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 4.1 Czech Higher Education in European Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 4.2 System of Higher Education in the Czech Republic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 5 Staff in Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1 Staff in Regional Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2 Public Higher Education Institutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 European Social Fund – ESF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

79 82 88 92

6

Financing of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 6.1 Financing of Regional Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 6.2 Financing of Higher Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

7

Education and Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 7.1 Broader Economic Environment and Employers’ Requirements for Graduates . . . . . . . 106 7.2 Labour Market Success of School Graduates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

1

5

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

6

List of Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Organisation of the Education System in the Czech Republic 2005/2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 1997) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

AC TPE AF PHEI AMU in Prague AVU in Prague BS BUT in Brno CBBE CEEPUS Coll. CPE ČVUT in Prague CZ CZSO ESF EU FEP FF PHEI FTE G GDP HEI IIE JAMU in Brno KKOV

Accreditation Commission for Tertiary Professional Education (Akreditační komise pro vyšší odborné vzdělávání) agricultural farm belonging to public higher education institutions (vysokoškolské zemědělské statky VŠZS) Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (Akademie múzických umění v Praze) Academy of Fine Arts in Prague (Akademie výtvarných umění v Praze) basic school (základní škola, ZŠ) Brno University of Technology (Vysoké učení technické v Brně, VUT v Brně) Classification of Basic Branches of Education Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies Collection centre for practical education (středisko praktického vyučování, SPV) Czech Technical University in Prague (České vysoké učení technické v Praze) Czech Republic (Česká republika) Czech Statistical Office (Český statistický úřad, ČSÚ) European Social Fund European Union framework educational programme forest farm belonging to public higher education institutions (vysokoškolské lesní statky, VŠLS) full-time equivalent gymnázium gross domestic product higher education institution (vysoká škola, VŠ) Institute for Information in Education (Ústav pro informace ve vzdělávání, ÚIV) Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno (Janáčkova akademie múzických umění v Brně) National classification system of attained educational levels for statistical purposes. It is divided into 14 categories specified by letters (A to V). Upper secondary education (ISCED 3) is divided into 7 categories (D to M). (Klasifikace kmenových oborů vzdělávání)

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

List of Abbreviations

7

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

8

MEYS MU in Brno NS NÚOV OP OC OPE OPWD PCC R&D RA RgE SEN SEP SIPED SS STS

SVS

TPS UK in Prague VŠCHT in Prague VŠE in Prague VŠUP in Prague VUM

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy, MŠMT) Masaryk University in Brno (Masarykova univerzita) nursery school (mateřská škola, MŠ) National Institute of Technical and Vocational Education (Národní ústav odborného vzdělávání) Operational Programme Education for Competitiveness other personal expenses other payments for work done Prague City Council research and development regional authority regional education special educational needs school educational programme State Information Policy in Education (Státní informační politika ve vzdělávání, SIPVZ) secondary school (střední škola, SŠ) secondary technical school – a secondary school which educates pupils in the educational fields of C, D, J and M stage (the letter in the fifth position in CBBE code) if it is not a school for pupils with special educational needs (střední odborná škola, SOŠ) secondary vocational school – a secondary school which educates pupils in the educational fields of E, H, and L stage (the letter in the fifth position in CBBE code) if it is not a school for pupils with special educational needs (střední odborné učiliště, SOU) tertiary professional school (vyšší odborná škola, VOŠ) Charles University in Prague (Univerzita Karlova v Praze, UK v Praze) Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague (Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická v Praze) University of Economics, Prague (Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze) Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (Vysoká škola umělecko-průmyslová v Praze) voluntary union of municipalities

1 2007 in Regional Education

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

10

The year 2007 was a key point for regional education1, particularly because of the completion of the preliminary phase of the curricular reform and because from September 1, 2007 schools started using their own school educational programmes based on the framework educational programmes. In terms of legislation, the changes in curricular policy were outlined in the Education Act, which opened a way for further transformation of education system, objectives, and content of education. The main objectives of curricular policy include the preparation of pupils for personal and professional life in the 21st century and for new and changing requirements for people as both citizens and as workers. Further main objectives are to modernize and improve education, to implement teaching methods and forms which develop required competencies in pupils, to enhance prospects on the labour market, to support life-long learning, to strengthen the autonomy of schools, and to improve the transparency of the education system. A number of activities aiming to support these reforms were carried out in the past period. For example, handbooks explaining how to create school educational programmes and further specialised publications were prepared; consulting centres and methodological portal were established; there was intensive co-operation with pilot schools; conferences aiming to support the reform were held; and further activities were organized. Apart from the curricular changes, in 2007 significant attention was also paid to the solution of projects supported from ESF resources within the Operational Programme Human Resources Development. Although the overall results of the projects will be evaluated in 2008, partial results have, among other things, already supported implementation of the reform, namely, the 1 Regional education means educational levels administered by lower than the central level (from pre-primary to upper secondary and tertiary professional education, ISCED 0-3, 5B).

projects Co-ordinator, Pilot Z, Pilot S, Pilot G, Lesson, and Methodology. In a similar way, projects from this operational programme were employed for implementation of the Act on Verification of Further Education Outcomes (for example, National Qualifications Framework, or cooperation with regions within the project Recognition of Outcomes from Informal Education and Learning – UNIV) or for improvement of the atmosphere in education for pupils with special needs and in consulting activities (projects VIP Career, PROPOS and SIM, in particular). Other significant changes were made in legislation. Basically all significant acts on education were partly amended (Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, the Education Act; Act No. 109/2002 Coll., on Institutional Education or Protective Education in School Provisions and on Preventive Educational Care; and Act No. 563/2004 Coll., on Educational Staff ). More detailed information may be found in Section 1.2. In 2007 several significant educational documents were created; the conceptual documents passed by the government are particularly worth mentioning: the Strategy for Life-Long Learning, an up-dated version of the Long-Term Policy Objectives of Education and the Development of the Education System. A significant document was passed for further use of the ESF financial resources, the Operational Programme Education for Competitiveness (OP EC).

1.1 Educational Programmes in Initial Education All nursery schools (kindergarten, mateřské školy), preparatory classes of basic schools (základní školy), the first and sixth grades of basic schools, and the first grades of 8-year gymnázia have been teaching according to the school educational programmes since September 1, 2007.

1.2 Evaluation of Educational Outputs In December 2007, the results of the international survey PISA 2006 were published which focused particularly on scientific literacy. Two-hundred and forty-five schools participated in the survey consisting of 9,016 pupils from the ninth grades of basic schools, the first grades of secondary schools and corresponding grades of 6 and 2 Secondary education and secondary schools relate to the upper secondary educational level (ISCED 3).

8-year gymnázia. The Czech pupils’ results in tests in science and mathematics were above average, similar to the performance of previous years. On the other hand, Czech pupils achieved rather below-average results in reading literacy in a long-term perspective. The results also showed that the Czech Republic belongs to countries where there are significant differences between strong and weak pupils. This gap reflects the considerable diversification among different types of schools and in the case of secondary schools, also among individual types. More detailed information may be found in the Main Findings of PISA Survey 2006. Within the system project Quality I, a project concerned with the assessment of educational results of the ninth-grade pupils at basic schools and corresponding grades at multi-year gymnázia was carried out with the aim to support the creation of a system for monitoring and assessing educational results. In this project the educational results were verified in three tests which focused on the assessment of skills in Czech language, mathematics and general skills. The key aspect of the project consisted in the fact that the pupils of the given age group were provided feedback information on the achieved level of their education in comparison with the results achieved on school, regional and national levels. The outputs could also be used by teachers for the self-evaluation of their pedagogical activities. The individual results were provided in the form of a report, and thanks to their high comparability, they significantly supported pupils’ self-evaluation and may increase motivation for further education. The Maturitní zkouška examination (final secondary school-leaving examination) is also being significantly reformed. The amendment of the Education Act was passed in the middle of 2007, postponing the launch of the maturitní zkouška examination reform to 2010 and lengthening the period from 2010 to 2012. At the same time, the issue of change in the model of the reformed maturitní zkouška examination was initiated with the aim

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

In secondary education2, work on the preparation of framework educational programmes for general and vocational secondary education continued. In 2007 the development programme Support for Increase in the Number of Lessons in Gymnázium Education continued. This programme enabled the creation of comparable conditions in gymnázium education and other types of secondary schools and achieved the overall number of lessons indicated in the Framework Educational Programmes for Gymnázia. In 2007 the Accreditation Commission for Tertiary Professional Education (AC TPE) continued carrying out the accreditation activities and further conceptual objectives. The Commission recommended 126 educational programmes out of 184 applications for accreditation from tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy) it received in 2007; 58 applications were turned down. The preparation for the transition of tertiary professional schools to the tertiary sector on the basis of transformation of tertiary professional schools to higher education institutions of non-university type was started. AC TPE aimed at creating a school model that would preserve the current co-existence of tertiary professional schools and secondary schools, using the existing material and personnel potential of these schools, and would enable the creation of a professional faculty (professional academy) according to the set criteria.

11

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

12

of guaranteeing that it be useful, feasible, and safe. The draft of the modified model of the reformed maturitní zkouška examination was created on the basis of expert discussions with the representatives of secondary schools and representatives of the regions, among others, and it was approved by the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports in January 2008. Based on a standardized examination assignment, a new concept of the final examination in the educational fields leading to an apprenticeship certificate (výuční list) was verified as a pilot initiative in the 2006/07 school year. In total, 198 secondary schools participated in the pilot programme, and approximately 10,000 pupils took the examination. The preparation of the new final examination within the project Quality I started in 2005. The number of fields of education for which a standardized examination assignment was created has increased every year since. In the 2006/07 school year, it already concerned 41 courses.

1.3 Conceptual Documents Passed in 2007 In June 2007, the Czech Government by its decision No. 611/2007 passed the strategic document dealing with the state care for children and youth the State Policy Concept for Children and Youth 2007-2013 in charge of which is the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. In July 2007, the government passed the conceptual document Strategy for Life-Long Learning in the Czech Republic which was submitted by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports but was prepared in close collaboration with other governmental departments and relevant social partners. The document closely examines the sphere of life-long learning and offers suggestions for its development and support. The document identifies seven strategic directions which should be pursued in the first place and suggests specific measures to be taken on individual educational levels. At the same time, the connection to ESF operational programmes in the years

2007 to 2013 is being followed. The seven strategic directions are the following: 1. Recognition, transferability; 2. Equal access; 3. Functional literacy; 4. Social partnership; 5. Stimulation of the demand; 6. Quality; 7. Guidance. The updated version of the Long-Term Policy Objectives of Education and the Development of the Education System in the Czech Republic from 2007 presents one of the instruments for shaping the education system. The report emphasises the implementation of the new legislation on education passed from 2004 to 2006. It defines the objectives, aims and criteria of educational policy along with the conceptual, methodological and financial support in development programmes and projects which are co-financed with resources from the EU. The report further delimits the framework of the long-term policy objectives in regions and unifies their approach in the issue of secondary schools in particular. It outlines the basic strategic directions: 1. Equal opportunities in education; 2. Curricular reform: an instrument for modernizing education with an emphasis on the development of key competences; 3. Support of foreign language learning and information and communication technologies; 4. Development and implementation of quality assurance systems, evaluation methods and self-evaluation of schools and school facilities; 5. Enhancing the expertise and improving working conditions of educational staff; 6. Support of further education. In October 2007, the European Commission passed the Operational Programme Education for Competitiveness (OP EC), the main objective of which is the development of a knowledge society to increase

The first three appeals for submission of global grants in the regions were requested in December 2007.

1.4 Support of Further Education In the sphere of further education, a further key educational act came into effect in 2007, the Act No. 179/2006 Coll., on Verification and Recognition of Further Education Outcomes and on the Amendment of Several Acts. This act enables everybody to gain or to develop the current level of their education or qualifications, to adjust to economic and social changes, and to verify or confirm the skills and knowledge obtained in informal education or learning. The ESF system project the Development of National Qualifications Framework (NQF) supported the interconnection of initial and further education. By the end of 2007, qualification and assessment standards for 110 entire and 340 partial qualifications were created through this project. The ESF project the Recognition of Outcomes from Informal Education and Learning in the Network of Schools Providing Adult Educational Services (UNIV) contributed to the support and development of further education provided by secondary schools and tertiary professional schools. At the end of 2007, the first applicants received valid certificates confirming their successful examinations according to the approved assessment standard for partial qualifications.

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

competitiveness in the Czech Republic by modernizing the systems of initial (including tertiary) and further education, by connecting them into a complex system of lifelong learning, and by improving the conditions in research and development. OP EC follows the activities which the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports carried out in the period from 2004 to 2006 within the Operational Programme Human Resources Development (Step 3.1 Improving the quality of education at schools and school facilities and the development of supporting systems in education, and Step 3.2 Support of tertiary education, research and development). The programmes will enable the modernization of initial (including tertiary) and further education, inter-connect them into a overall system of lifelong learning, and improve conditions in research and development. The financial resources from OP EC are directed towards regions, cities and municipalities, schools and school facilities, non-government non-profit organizations, professional associations of employers and employees, entrepreneurs, scientific and research institutions, development and innovation centres, and other organizations active in education. The total sum for financing the OP EC amounts to € 2,151.4 million (approximately CZK 59 billion), of which 85% is provided by the EU (ESF) and 15% from national resources from the state budget (or the budget of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports).

13

2 Changes

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

in the Organizational and Legislation Base of Education System in 2007

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

16

The development of legal regulations in the education system in 2007 was primarily influenced by the foundations laid in the previous years when legal regulations on education for individual fields of the education system were issued.

2.1 Amendments of “Education Acts” In 2007 the following Acts from the group of “Education Acts” underwent, in a broad sense, partial changes: ¾ Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education (the Education Act), as amended, which, apart from the educational areas mentioned directly in its title, also regulates basic art, language and special interest education as well as further education carried out in schools and the provision of educational services; ¾ Act No. 109/2002 Coll., on Institutional Education or Protective Education in School Provisions and on Preventive Educational Care and on the Amendment of Several Acts, as amended; ¾ Act No. 563/2004 Coll., on Educational Staff and on the Amendment of Several Acts, as amended; and ¾ Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendment of and Supplement to Further Acts (the Higher Education Act), as amended. The amendments which came into effect in 2007 or on January 1, 2008 (i.e. the legislation procedure was in progress in 2007) are listed below. They may be classified into two categories as acts amended on the basis of the direct needs of the sector of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and as technical amendments following legal regulations that are not directly connected to education. The amendments of the first category affected the Act No. 561/2004 Coll. ¾ Under the Act No. 179/2006 Coll., on Verification and Recognition of Further Education Outcomes and on the Amendment of Several Acts (the Act on Recognition of Further Education Outcomes), as

amended, new Sections 113a to 113c were included in the Act No. 561/2004 Coll., with legal effect as of August 1, 2007. The amendment interconnected the procedures of recognition of previous education or partial education of a pupil at secondary schools with the system of further education and the acquisition of partial qualifications outside the education system which has been regulated by the Act No. 179/2006 Coll., (see below section 1.2.2) since August 1, 2008. Nonetheless, an important feature was the inclusion of the possibility to take the závěrečná zkouška examination (final examination), maturitní zkouška examination, or absolutorium examination at the secondary school or conservatoire (konzervatoř) without previous education at the given school if the applicant wishing to take the examination has attained at least a basic education and has acquired partial qualifications for a certain profession under Act No. 179/2006 Coll. The Amendment of Section 163 sets forth financing of these examinations from the state budget. ¾ The Amendment No. 217/2007 Coll., with legal effect as of August 22, 2007, postponed the legal effect of the new form of maturitní zkouška examination by 2 years to the 2009/10 school year. This postponement created a timeframe for the review of the new model of the maturitní zkouška examination. The Amendment of the provisions of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. which regulate maturitní zkouška examination, bearing the No. 242/2008 Coll., has immediately started to be prepared. The newly revised maturitní zkouška examination will be first taken in the 2009/10 school year. ¾ The Amendment, which significantly changed the conditions for access of foreigners to education and educational services with legal effect as of January 1, 2008, was passed as Act No. 343/2007 Coll. The conditions for access to education and educational services for foreigners who are not European Union citizens nor persons treated as citizens of the EU by the Act No. 561/2004 Coll. in terms of the conditions for access to

2.2 Legal Force of the Act on Recognition of Further Education Outcomes On August 1, 2007 a significant part of the Act No. 179/2006 Coll. came into effect. The Act makes it possible to evaluate education obtained outside the education system in a transparent and objective way. In order to do so, the Act employs important systemic instruments: a qualification framework, system of qualification standards and related assessment standards, system of authorized persons etc. Using these instruments, a natural entity may take an examination according to an assessment standard and thereby obtain a certificate on acquiring partial qualification. A person holding this certificate has better prospects on the labour market because the qualifications system created on the basis of the Act No. 172/2006 Coll. provides employers with a better overview of the content and extent of skills and knowledge which are confirmed by the certificate. The contribution of decisive users (i.e., professional associations, chambers, or ministries) of such further education outcomes to the functioning of the qualifications system forms its integral part. Natural and legal entities who work in professional fields may be authorized to verify the achieved professional competency of the applicants for a certificate on partial qualification by the relevant central administrative authority. Act No. 179/2006 Coll. was also slightly technically amended in the period up to January 1, 2008 by Amendments No. 110/2007 Coll. and 362/2006 Coll.

2.3 Amendments in Government Regulations on System of Educational Fields The government regulation No. 689/2004 Coll., on the System of Educational Fields in Basic, Secondary and Tertiary Professional Education, as amended, was amended in 2007 by the government regulation No. 224/2007 Coll.

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

education were amended with the aim to transpose the Directives of the European Union regulating the status of third-country nationals in member states. If these foreigners are entitled to reside in the Czech Republic for a period longer than 90 days, they are granted equal access to education and educational services. The more lenient condition for residency entitlement remained in force for access to secondary and tertiary professional education and the residency entitlement is not a prerequisite for access to basic education. Therefore, even so-called illegal immigrants are able to access basic education in compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The second category includes a partial Amendment of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. related to Act No. 296/2007 Coll., which amends Act No. 182/2006 Coll., on Insolvency and Its Resolution (the Insolvency Act), as amended, and several Acts connected with its adoption. The Amendment took legal force on January 1, 2008. Act No. 561/2004 Coll. and Act No. 109/2002 Coll. were partially, technically amended by the Amendment of Act No. 112/2006 Coll., which amends several Acts connected with the adoption of the Act on Living and Subsistence Minimum and the Act on Assistance in Material Need, and which brought them into compliance with the new Act No. 110/2006 Coll., on Living and Subsistence Minimum and Act No. 111/2006 Coll., on Assistance in Material Need with legal effect as of January 1, 2007. The Amendment of Act No. 563/2004 Coll. connected with the new Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, as amended, was also purely formal and did not affect the subject-matter of relations regulated thereby. The Act No. 111/1998 Coll. was more or less technically amended by Act No. 362/2003 on Amendment of Acts Related to the Adoption of the Act on Service Relationship of the Members of Security Forces, with legal effect as of January 1, 2007; by Act No. 261/2007 Coll., on Stabilization of Public Finances with legal effect as of January 1, 2008; and by the abovementioned Act No. 296/2007 Coll.

17

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

18

During the preparation of the amendment, which came into effect as of August 31, 2007, approximately 60 other framework educational programmes of the fields of secondary education were prepared for publication. The amendment has provided the necessary legislative framework for their publication by including new fields of education corresponding to new educational programmes into the system of fields of education and excluding existing fields replaced by the new ones. At the same time, the conditions of health capacity for applicants for education were set forth in the newly introduced fields of education and the new system of educational fields in tertiary professional education in compliance with Section 3, Par. 5, of Act No. 561/2004 Coll. The new Annex 2 generally defines the categories of illnesses and health problems for the purpose of setting forth the conditions of health capacity for applicants for education and, further, the new Column 8 in Annex No. 1 (in the new system of fields of education) sets forth the specific illnesses and health problems which exclude the applicant from education in the specific field of education due to the applicant’s health condition. In compliance with Section 3, Par. 5, of the Education Act, the conditions of health capacity for applicants for education in a given field of education shall be included in the government regulation No. 689/2004 Coll. gradually, in connection with the formation of the new system of the fields of education, for which framework educational programmes are to be published. As for the existing fields of education, the conditions of health capacity shall be, in accordance with Section 185, Par. 1, of Act No. 561/2004 Coll., considered on the basis of existing curricular documents. The amendment has also carried out further partial amendments in the government regulation No. 689/2004 Coll. Among other things, the effectiveness of the heretofore existing fields of basic education in which disabled pupils are educated was specifically prolonged, with regard to the time-table of the preparation of the

framework educational programme for the special basic school. In view of the further (expected) development of the system in educational fields, an analogous amendment was also prepared in the year 2008, and a follow-up amendment may also be expected for the year 2009.

2.4 Changes in Implementary Regulations for the “Education Acts“ Amendments to the following implementary regulations for Act No. 561/2004 Coll. were issued in 2007: ¾ regulation No. 10/2005 Coll., on Tertiary Professional Education, was amended by the ministry regulation No. 470/2006 Coll., with legal effect as of January 1, 2007; ¾ regulation No. 73/2005 Coll., on Education of Children, Pupils and Students with Special Educational Needs, and Exceptionally Gifted Children, Pupils and Students, should have been basically altered with legal effect as of September 1, 2007, by the regulation No. 62/2007 Coll.; however, the legal effect of the amendment has been postponed for one year; ¾ regulation No. 364/2005 Coll., on Keeping of Documentation of Schools and School Facilities and of the School Registry and on the Submission of Data from Documentation of Schools and School Facilities and of the School Registry (regulation on Documentation of Schools and School Facilities), as amended, has been amended as it regularly is, as of the beginning of the 2007/08 school year. The amendment was issued under the No. 226/2007 Coll.. The amendment to regulation No. 10/2005 Coll. has, among other things, changed the deadline for submitting an application for education at tertiary professional schools, the rules for the determination of terms of repeated examination and the alternative dates of the absolutorium examination and the essentials of the application for accreditation of an educational programme.

the system for the transfer of individual data in the field of basic, secondary and tertiary professional education. This change will greatly limit the scope of the existing socalled performance reports. On August 28, 2007, the regulation No. 220/2007 Coll. came into effect by means of which certain provisions of the Education Act are implemented for the schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Defence. The Ministry of Defence thus fulfilled the legislative authorisation of Section 172, Par. 5, of Act No. 561/2004 Coll.

2.5 Implementary Regulation for the Act on Verification and Recognition of Further Education Outcomes As of August 16, 2008, the regulation No. 208/2007 Coll., on Further Details Set Forth for the Implementation of the Act on Verification and Recognition of Further Education Outcomes became effective. The implementary regulation for Act No. 179/2006 Coll. sets forth, among other things, the following: ¾ details of the contents, structure and manner of the management of the National Qualifications Framework – the National Qualifications Framework is a database used by a wide range of users from the authorisation bodies, authorised persons, and professional public to applicants for the verification and recognition of the outcomes of further education. For each introduced change of a qualification and assessment standard and of the list of authorised persons, additional data are entered as well. As for holding examinations, it is necessary to specify the date of which the relevant data or its change in the system are applicable, as the examination is held in accordance with the currently applicable qualification or assessment standard; ¾ means through which the applicants for authorization for verification of professional skills prove their skills.

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports prepared an important change in the sphere of education of children, pupils and students with special educational needs in 2007. It was the purpose of the ministry No. 73/2005 Coll. to specify the rules for the determination of the lowest and highest permissible number of children, pupils and students in the classes, study groups and departments intended for children, pupils and students with disabilities or health disadvantages.. The new annex of the regulation No. 73/2005 Coll. was to distinguish disabilities and disadvantages as to their type and seriousness and set forth the lowest and highest number of children, pupils and students in the classes and also the number of educational staff active at the same time in the class. It became apparent shortly after the issuance of the amendment in the Collection of Laws that there is no unity in the views taken from practices as regards the organisational and economic basis of special education, and some active educational staff started to highlight various (mainly economic) risks of the application of the amendment. Therefore, the legal effect of the amendment has been postponed from the originally set forth term of September 1, 2007, by one year, by regulation No. 222/2007. The regulation No. 364/2005 was amended, as in 2006, due to the on-going transformation of the data transfer system on certain types of schools from the school registries and school documentation to the Institute for Information on Education. The relevant group of schools that previously included tertiary professional schools, secondary schools and conservatoires transferring individual data from school registries and school documentation, i.e. personal data of pupils and students, now also includes basic schools. The transfer of individual data on applicants for tertiary professional education was also added, and further technical changes were made. The scope of data transferred by schools in the aggregate form, i.e. in the form of statistical data, shall be gradually reduced in the next years following the stabilisation of

19

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

20

It is necessary that the applicant sufficiently proves to the authorisation body that he/she has the knowledge or skill set forth for the assessment standard for the partial qualification and is thus professionally capable to discharge the function of the authorised person; ¾ details of holding the examination of professional skills. With respect to the specific nature of each partial qualification, the exact form of the examination of the partial qualification at issue is set forth in the assessment standard of such partial qualification. The regulation determines the specific forms of the examination that may be used within the framework of the assessment standard;

¾ fee for holding the examination. The fee consists of two parts – a lump-sum fee and remuneration. Their amount is set forth in each instant by the corresponding assessment standard. The fee for holding the examination is publicly available information; ¾ essential requirements of the written certificate of acquiring partial qualification. The certificate is a public document by means of which the applicant for verification and recognition of the outcomes of further education shall prove the partial qualification at issue. The template of the form of the certificate is set forth in the annex to the regulation.

3 Regional Education

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

22

3.1 Pre-Primary Education Pre-primary education has great significance for the development of a child’s personality. Pre-primary education is provided primarily in nursery schools (mateřské školy), in nursery schools for children with special educational needs, and in nursery schools placed in establishments for institutional or protective education. The Framework Educational Programme for PrePrimary Education (FEP PE) was published by the measures of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports No. 32 405/2004-22 of January 3, 2005, in effect as of March 1, 2005. The text of the original Framework Educational Programme for Pre-Primary Education (published in May 2001, further referred to as “FEP PE”) was modified in 2004 in compliance with the draft of the new Education Act. With the introduction of the Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, as amended, FEP PE presents a constitutive document not only for the representatives of the pre-primary education (i.e. for teachers) but for the founders of educational institutions as well as for their specialists and social partners. It is a generally valid document for nursery schools, nursery schools with adapted educational programme, and for preparatory classes of basic school). The schools have proceeded in accordance with the FEP PE from September 1, 2007. The Framework Educational Programme for PrePrimary Education defines main requirements, conditions and rules for the institutional education of pre-primary school age children. Every nursery school prepares its own school educational programme based on the principles set by the FEP PE. Nursery schools are generally attended by children of three to six years of age. In exceptional cases children under three years or over six years of age who were permitted to postpone the start of their compulsory schooling are permitted to attend nursery schools. It is the effort of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to provide for

as high attendance in pre-primary education as possible, including organizational measures ensuring that children whose mothers are on maternity leave or unemployed are not excluded from the attendance. According to Section 123, Par. 2, of the Education Act, education in the last year of nursery school established by the state, region, municipality or union of municipalities shall be provided free of charge. Free pre-primary education was offered in order to enable all children to participate in pre.-primary education and to even out the differences in communicative competences and thinking before entering basic school, to develop children’s creativity and imagination, and last but not least to help children overcome or mitigate various handicaps which may cause them problems after entering basic school. However this measure did not bring an expected impact of the increased participation of five year olds, instead their participation has decreased. The number of nursery schools has been decreasing in the past few years. In the school year 2005/06, there were 4,834 nursery schools in the Czech Republic, in 2006/07 there were only 4,815 nursery schools, and in 2007/08 their number amounted to 4,808. The decline in the number of nursery schools does not necessarily mean their real disappearance in all cases because their manner of registration was changed3. The number of children in nursery schools has been rising. In 2005/06, 282,183 children attended nursery schools, in 2006/07 it was 285,419 children, and in 2007/08 their number amounted to 291,194. At the same time, the number of rejected applications for pre-primary education has been rising: in 200506 the number of rejected applications amounted to 6,810; in 2006/07 the number of declined applications rose to 9,570; and in 2007/08 there were 13,409 declined applications. The increasing number of children who are not placed in nursery schools is attributable to 3 More nursery schools have been merged under one common school head, i.e. under one legal entity.

Table 1 Nursery schools – ratio indicators in school years 2005/06 to 2007/08

Number of children Number of classes Number of schools Teachers (FTE) Number of children per school Number of children per class Number of children per teacher

Source: IIE

2005/06 282,183 12,409 4,834 22,484.6

2006/07 285,419 12,494 4,815 22,307.7

2007/08 291,194 12,698 4,808 22,744.3

58.4 22.7 12.0

59.3 22.8 12.8

60.6 22.9 12.8

Figure 1

289,000

102%

286,000

283,000

Percentage of children in NSs in population of 3 to 5-year-olds

100%

280,000 Source: IIE

2005/06

2006/07

Table 2 The percentage of 5-year-old children attending nursery schools out of the total population of 5-year-old children Source: IIE

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Percentage of 5-year-old children attending nursery schools out of the total population of 5-year-old children

96.3 %

94.3 %

94.2 %

Number of 5-year-old children attending nursery schools Number of 5-year-olds in population

85,883 89,209

85,866 91,076

87,273 92,671

2005/06 3.11

2006/07 3.09

2007/08 3.05

Table 3 The average length of education in nursery schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08 Source: IIE

2007/08

Average length of education in NSs

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

104%

292,000

Percentage of children in NSs in population of 3 to 5-year-olds

Number of children in NSs incl. children in schools for children with SEN

Number of children

The number of children in pre-primary education institutions with regard to the population of 3 to 5-year-olds in 2005/06 to 2007/08

23

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

24

the higher birth rate in the past years. The decreasing number of nursery schools is caused partly by their closing down and partly by merging more schools into one legal entity. The overwhelming majority of nursery schools (96%) is established by municipalities, which provides for an available network of these pre-primary facilities. One nursery school is attended by 61 children, on average. In comparison with the year 2006/07, the average increased by one child. The number of children in one class has slightly increased (from 22.7 in 2005/06 to 22.9 in 2007/08). This change particularly reflects the fact that the number of nursery schools decreased on the basis of reasons specified above (dissolution or mergers into one legal entity). The number of children attending nursery school has increased by 9,011 children in the past three years and the number of classes has increased by 289. Attendance in nursery school is not compulsory. Nonetheless, 79.2% of all 3-year-old children, 92.6% of all 4-year-old and 94.2% of all 5-year-old children attend nursery school. As shown in the attached table, the ratio of 5-year-old children attending nursery schools out of the whole population of this age has slightly decreased, though the absolute number of 5-year-olds in nursery schools and their total population have risen. The percentage of 6-year-old children with a postponed start of compulsory schooling who attend nursery schools is no longer rising, unlike in the previous year: in 2007/08 it constituted 22.8% of 6-year-olds. A similar tendency may be observed in the population of children under 3 years of age attending nursery schools (24.8% of the age cohort; the ratio of children is just 1.2 percentage points higher than in previous year). The average length of education in nursery schools has fallen. In 2005/06 it was 3.11 years and in 2007/08 it only was 3.05 years. This tendency is caused by the length of maternity leave and subsequent parental leave; children start pre-primary education later. Nursery schools with adapted educational programmes are established for children with disabilities (119 schools

in 2007/08 with 3.2 thousand children attending them). They may also attend nursery schools established in children’s homes. Apart from that, children with disabilities, or health or social disadvantages may be integrated into regular schools in either regular classes (1,683 children) or special classes (3,878 children). Altogether, the number of children with disabilities in 2007/08 amounted to 2.9% of all children attending nursery schools. The distribution and density of the network of nursery schools differ in each region. The differences between the regions with a higher concentration of bigger cities (where there are bigger nursery schools) and regions with a higher concentration of small towns (where big nursery schools may not be established due to inaccessibility) consist mainly in the size of nursery schools: on average, the biggest schools in terms of number of children are located in Prague, Moravian-Silesian Region, Ústí nad Labem Region, and Karlovy Vary Region. There are also certain differences in the number of private and denominational schools in each region. The highest percentage of private and denominational nursery schools above the national average of 2% is in the Moravian-Silesian Region (4.7% of schools) where these schools are attended by the highest number of children (3.2%), and in Prague (5.9% of schools, attended by only 2.6% of children).

3.2 Compulsory School Attendance In accordance with the applicable legislation4, compulsory school attendance in the Czech Republic starts at the age of 6 and lasts for 9 years5. The absolute majority of children fulfil this required 4 Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, as amended. 5 It was set forth by the Amendment to Act No. 29/1984 Coll., on the System of Basic, Secondary and Tertiary Professional Schools coming into effect as of July 1995. The 9-year compulsory school attendance is also defined by the Education Act No. 561/2004 Coll.

Table 4

2005/06

Basic schools – the development of the number of basic schools, classes, pupils and teachers from 2005/06 to 2007/08

2006/07

2007/08

4,173 24,566 462,820 27,727.10

4,132 24,324 458,046 27,520.00

2,809 19,961 413,693 34,961.30

2,775 19,109 386,817 33,453.20

4,197 44,527 876,513 62,657.60

4,153 43,433 844,863 60,973.20

st

1 stage Schools 1st stage Classes 1st stage Pupils 1st stage Teachers (FTE) 1st stage

4,446 25,971 473,269 27,586.00 2nd stage

nd

Schools 2 stage Classes 2nd stage Pupils 2nd stage Teachers (FTE) 2nd stage

3,017 19,798 443,306 35,571.60

Schools Classes Pupils Teachers (FTE)

4,474 45,769 916,575 63,157.60

Source: IIE

Figure 2 Basic schools – the development of the number of pupils per school in the first and second stage and in total in 2005/06 to 2007/08

250 208.8

203.3

146.9

147.3

139.4

106.4

110.9

110.9

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

204.9

200 150

Number of pupils per school – 1st stage Number of pupils per school – 2nd stage

100

Number of pupils per school – total 50 0 Source: IIE

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

BS in total

25

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

26

period of education at basic schools. As outlined by the applicable legislation, every 6-year-old child has to commence the compulsory school attendance unless they were permitted to postpone the commencement of compulsory school attendance. Lately, a considerable number of parents use the possibility of postponing the commencement of compulsory school attendance, with approximately one quarter of children starting their compulsory school attendance at a higher age. In order for a child to receive permission for postponement, it is necessary to present an application for the postponement of compulsory school attendance and a recommendation of a specialised doctor (a paediatrician is sufficient) and a school guidance facility to the school head. If both expert opinions recommend postponing the admission to school, the school head usually grants permission postponing the admission by one year. Children have to start their compulsory school attendance by the age of eight, at the latest. At the same time, 5-year-old children who turn 6 no later than December 31 of the given school year may be admitted to school. After completing the first stage, pupils have basically three options to continue in compulsory school attendance. They may continue being educated at a basic school, or they may change to some type of secondary school where it is possible to fulfil the compulsory school attendance. Such attendance is possible in courses at a multi-year gymnázium.6 The third possibility for pupils gifted in the arts is to take courses in the conservatoire (konzervatoř)7. Approximately one tenth of pupils in a given age group fulfil the compulsory school attendance in courses at secondary schools or conservatoires. The education of pupils with physical or mental disabilities is provided for by integrating them into 6 6-year gymnázia are attended by pupils after completion of the seventh grade of basic school and 8-year gymnázia are attended after completion of the fifth grade of basic school. 7 8-year study of dance at a conservatoire is possible after completion of the fifth grade of basic school.

special classes8 at regular basic schools or regular classes at basic schools or they may attend schools that are primarily focussed on the education of pupils with special educational needs. Based on the consent of the child’s legal representative, the relevant regional authority, determined by the child’s place of residence (in accordance with Section 42 of Education Act), provides to children with serious mental disabilities the kind of education that corresponds to their mental and physical capacities. The authorities determine the appropriate education on the basis of recommendations formulated by a specialised doctor and school guidance facility. After several years of experimental verifications, the possibility to opt for individual tuition (individuální vzdělávání; previously called home individual tuition) in the first stage of basic school was included in the Education Act (in accordance with Section 41). Individual tuition is realised without regular attendance at school. Currently, only pupils in the first stage of basic schools are allowed to have individual tuition but the possibility of individual tuition for pupils in the second stage at basic schools is also being considered. Pupils taking individual tuition pass an examination every half-year regarding the relevant educational content at the school where they were admitted to fulfil their compulsory school attendance.

3.2.1 Basic Education The principal task of basic education is to teach pupils learning strategies and on the basis of the education received, to motivate them not only to continue their education in secondary schools and later in tertiary education institutions, but also to motivate them to lifelong learning necessary for life in modern society. At the same time, basic education should teach pupils to think creatively and solve problems; to communicate efficiently 8 In future references, the classes established for disabled pupils shall be referred to as “special classes”.

Figure 3 Basic schools – the development of the number of pupils per class in the first and second stage and in total in 2005/06 to 2007/08 Number of pupils per class – 1st stage nd

Number of pupils per class – 2 stage Number of pupils per class – total

24.0

22.4

22.0 20.0

20.7

20.2

19.7

20.0

19.5

18.0

18.8

18.8

2006/07

2007/08

18.2

16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 2005/06

Source: IIE

Basic schools – the development of the number of pupils per teacher in the first and second stage and in total in 2005/06 to 2007/08

18.0

16.7

16.6

14.0

13.8

11.8

11.5

16.0 14.5

Number of pupils per teacher – 1st stage Number of pupils per teacher – 2nd stage

17.2

14.0

Number of pupils per teacher – total

12.5

12.0

10.0 Source: IIE

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Figure 4

27

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

28

and cooperate; and to protect their physical and mental health, values, and environment. Further, they should learn to be considerate and tolerant of other people and differing cultural and spiritual values, to understand their abilities and realistic capacities, and to apply this awareness along with the acquired skills and knowledge when making decisions about their future life path and professional career. In accordance with the Education Act, the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education is issued for the realisation of basic education. It contains an Annex which regulates the education of pupils with mild mental disabilities approved by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports with legal effect as of September 1, 2005, amended as of July 1, 2007. This supplemented and extended document which applies to the creation of school educational programmes (SEPs) in basic education is intended for all basic schools including those educating pupils with mild mental disabilities and for multi-year gymnázia. The schools create their own school educational programmes specifically designed for the conditions of the given school. Since 2002, the Research Institute of Education (Výzkumný ústav pedagogický) along with the pilot schools verified the creation of SEPs and teaching according to SEPs at schools in individual projects. This project was ended in June 2007 and since 2007/08 school year, it has been taught according to SEPs in the first and sixth grades at all basic schools. The network of basic schools in the Czech Republic is dense enough, though the number of basic schools has steadily been falling in past years. In 2007/08, 4,155 basic schools were registered in the School Registry. In comparison with the previous year, the number decreased by 42 schools. The decline in the number of schools mainly concerns schools providing tuition only for pupils in the first stage, and it is caused partly by their dissolution and partly by merging schools in bigger legal entities. Although the number of basic schools has steadily been falling, it did not affect the average school size. In

2007/08 the average size of basic schools was 203 pupils per school. The average school size in the first stage of basic school even rose in 2006/07. This tendency is mainly caused by an increasing birth rate at the beginning of the 21st century which is also reflected in the demographic composition of children in a given age group. The average school size in the second stage did not change in the past years – it even slightly rose in comparison with 2006/07. The network of basic schools in the Czech Republic reflects the basic educational needs of individual regions in the context of the region overall. There is naturally a higher number of small schools in regions with a higher concentration of small municipalities, and in regions with a higher concentration of the population in bigger cities, there is a higher number of big schools. On average, there is 0.48 of a basic school per 100 children from the ages of 6 to 14 in the Czech Republic. The lowest number of schools per 100 children from the ages of 6 to 14 is in Prague (0.31 of one school), in Ústí nad Labem Region (0.37 of a school) and in Moravian-Silesian Region (0.41 of a school). Generally, it may be said that the availability of basic education in individual regions is good. In the field of basic education, individual regions also differ in the ratio of private and denominational basic schools. The highest ratio of non-public basic schools may be found in Prague where non-public schools constitute 7.1% of all basic schools and 2.3% of pupils’ enrolment. Further, in the Hradec Králové Region 4% are non-public schools with 1.7% of pupils, in the Moravian-Silesian Region 3.3% of schools with 1.3% of pupils. The limit of 3% was also exceeded in the Olomouc Region where there are 3.2% of schools with 1.3% of pupils. Further, there are also differences in school size among the regions. The biggest schools are located in Prague (305 pupils per school), the smallest in the Vysočina and Olomouc Regions (169 pupils per school and 170 pupils per school, respectively). Although the number of basic schools is falling due to mergers, the demographic development of this age group is so negative that the number of children

Figure 5 Basic schools – the percentage of pupils leaving the fifth and seventh grades of basic schools for 6 and 8-year gymnázia and 8-year conservatoire in 2005/06 to 2007/08

12.0 % 10.0 % 9.9 % 9.3 %

8.0 %

8.6 %

6.0 % leaving 5th grades of BS leaving 7th grades of BS

4.0 % 2.0 % 2.0 %

2.0 %

2005/06

2006/07

2.2 %

0.0 %

Table 5 Basic schools – basic features of basic school network in regions in 2007/08

Source: IIE

Region Prague Central Bohemian South Bohemian Plzeň Karlovy Vary Ústí nad Labem Liberec Hradec Králové Pardubice Vysočina South Moravian Olomouc Zlín Moravian-Silesian CZ in total

BS in total Schools Pupils 253 77,116 524 96,442 255 53,059 224 44,548 115 25,600 285 73,202 206 37,630 272 46,937 254 44,046 268 45,314 474 91,546 309 52,722 256 49,683 460 107,018 4,155 844,863

Private and denominational BS Schools Pupils 7.1 % 2.3 % 1.1 % 0.2 % 2.0 % 1.5 % 1.8 % 0.8 % 2.6 % 1.1 % 2.5 % 1.4 % 2.4 % 1.3 % 4.0 % 1.7 % 0.8 % 0.3 % 0.4 % 0.4 % 0.8 % 0.9 % 3.2 % 1.3 % 2.7 % 1.9 % 3.3 % 1.3 % 2.4 % 1.2 %

2007/08

Average size of BS Total 305 184 208 199 223 257 183 173 173 169 193 171 194 233 203

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Source: IIE

29

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

30

per school has been falling as well. This downward trend is more distinct in the second stage of basic school; the situation in the first stage remained more or less the same as in past years. There are also differences among the regions in the ratio of children over 7 years of age admitted to the first year of basic school to the number of all admitted children. On a national level, the percentage of 7-yearold children and above entering the first grade for the first time is 23.1% of all incoming first-year pupils on average (in 2006/07 it was 23.7%). The lowest number of 7-yearold children and above were admitted to the first grade in the Vysočina Region (19.8% of 7-year-old children and above) and in the Central Bohemian Region (20.2%). On the other hand, the highest number of children older than 7 entering the first grade could be observed in the Liberec Region (26.9%), in the Zlín Region (25.9 %), in Prague (25.5 %) and in the Karlovy Vary Region (25.3 %). Education of children with special educational needs forms an integral part of the education system. Basic schools are currently attended by 76.3 thousand pupils with special educational needs, which represents 9% of all pupils in basic schools. 4.3% of physically disabled children are individually integrated into the regular classes, and 5.3% of children with special educational needs attend special classes. It may be said that the tendency to integrate pupils with mild or medium disability among healthy children enables these children to adapt more easily to everyday life while teaching healthy children to co-exist with peers who are different. The positive effects of individual integration of pupils with moderate or midsevere disability among healthy children are supported by an increase in the number of children educated in this way. As mentioned above, the percentage of individually integrated pupils reached 5.3% in 2007/08. Basic schools specifically established for disabled pupils play an irreplaceable role in the qualified preparation of pupils with combined disability for integration to society (for example, while educating children with severe mental

disabilities and combined with other disadvantages, or deaf-blind pupils). In these schools, the pupils are provided with comprehensive care by staff who have the necessary qualifications in special education and relevant professional experience that basic school teachers in regular education usually lack: specialised activity in the field of special orientation of visually impaired pupils; knowledge of the Lorm alphabet for the deaf-blind, the Braille alphabet, sign language, Czech sign language; and the like. With the consent of the Regional Authority, municipalities (or unions of municipalities) or regions may establish preparatory classes at basic schools for children in the last year before the commencement of the compulsory school attendance who are socially disadvantaged, with the presumption that attending the preparatory class will aid their development. It is possible to establish a preparatory class if at least 7 children are enrolled. The decision on the inclusion of pupils in a preparatory class for basic school is made by the school head upon the request of the child’s legal representative and on the basis of a written recommendation from the school guidance facilities. The preparatory class syllabus is part of the school educational programme.9 In 2007/08 164 preparatory classes were established at 141 schools and were attended by 1,929 children. Forty-eight preparatory classes of the total were opened at schools for pupils with special educational needs (40 schools) and were attended by 492 children with special educational needs. 1,437 pupils attended preparatory classes established at regular basic schools. It is possible to fulfil the compulsory school attendance in some courses at secondary schools, mainly in courses at multi-year gymnázia. On average, the percentage of pupils attending the lower stage of multi-year gymnázia out of the number of pupils in 9 Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, as amended.

3.3 Secondary Education Pupils may acquire the following levels of education by the successful completion of the relevant educational 10 The figures for premature termination of education are analysed for the year before the last year.

programme of secondary education: a) secondary education (střední vzdělání); b) secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate (střední vzdělání s výučním listem); c) secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška (school-leaving) examination (střední vzdělání s maturitní zkouškou). The current curricula are gradually substituted by framework educational programmes on the basis of which the schools formulate their own school educational programmes (SEPs). The framework educational programmes and school educational programmes will undoubtedly provide greater freedom for teachers’ work and, with that, greater responsibility for their results. These changes should help schools incorporate modern content as well as teaching. On July 24, 2007, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports passed the Framework Educational Programme for Gymnázia (FEP G) and Framework Educational Programme for Sports Training Gymnázia (FEP STG). These programmes are intended for 4-year gymnázia and for higher levels of multi-year gymnázia. In September 2007, the two-year period begun, during which gymnázia shall start preparing their school educational programmes. They will teach according to these programmes from September 1, 2009 onwards at the latest. The Research Institute of Education created and administers the methodological portal www.rvp.cz which should help teachers in implementing school reform. It is possible to find the methodology for the FEPs and SEPs for nursery and basic schools and schools providing gymnázia courses. The National Institute of Technical and Vocational Education (Národní ústav odborného vzdělávání) is authorised to create the framework educational programmes for technical/vocational schools. After discussions and formal remark proceedings, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports issued FEPs for 29 educational fields of secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate and 32 educational fields of

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

education corresponding to the second stage of basic school was 10% in 2007/08 (in 2005/06 it was 9.5%) and in individual regions it ranged from 7.2% in the Ústí nad Labem Region, 7.8% in the Zlín Region, and 7.9% in the Moravian-Silesian Region, up to 18.9% in Prague. In comparison with the last school year, the number of pupils in multi-year gymnázia increased at the expense of 4-year gymnázia. In 2007/08, 11.6 thousand pupils went to courses in multi-year gymnázia and to eight-year dance courses at conservatoire. In basic education it may be observed that the pupils terminate school attendance prematurely, i.e. they leave basic school before completion of the ninth grade. In 2006/0710, 4.5 thousand pupils left before completion, which represents 4.1% of all leavers from basic school. Most pupils terminating compulsory school attendance before the ninth grade were registered in the Karlovy Vary Region (9.3% of all school-leaves), the Ústí nad Labem Region (8.3%), and the Plzeň Region (6.7%). On the other hand, the lowest numbers of these leaves were registered in Prague (1.4%), the Zlín Region (1.9%), and in the Vysočina Region (2.1%). Basic and secondary schools offer courses leading to the attainment of basic education and the basics of education (základy vzdělávání) to those citizens who have not completed basic education. The interest is not very high, and the courses are attended by a fairly stable number of participants. In 2007/08, the courses leading to the attainment of basic education were attended by 344 participants and 307 participants attended courses leading to attainment of the basics of education.

31

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

32

secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. Framework educational programmes for further educational fields will be issued gradually. Education at secondary schools is mainly intended for pupils who have completed the ninth grade of basic school, with the exception of 8-year gymnázia to which pupils are admitted after the completion of the fifth grade of basic school, and 6-year gymnázia intended for pupils after the completion of the seventh grade of basic school. Apart from educational fields intended for pupils who have completed basic education, there are also educational fields within the education system intended for those pupils who terminated the compulsory school attendance in a grade lower than ninth grade of basic school and for those who have completed practical basic school (praktická základní škola) or a special basic school (speciální základní škola). Currently, almost all pupils who complete basic school continue their education in secondary schools. Secondary schools also provide follow-up courses (nástavbové studium) for those applicants who attained secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate in a related educational field through a threeyear course in a full-time form of education. The education is realized in accordance with the currently effective curricula and syllabi for the given educational field. The education in follow-up courses takes two years in a fulltime form of education and is completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. Secondary schools providing secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate in the given educational field may also provide shortened study programmes (zkrácené studium) aimed at acquiring secondary education with an apprenticeship certificate for those applicants who have completed secondary education with a maturitní zkouška examination. The shortened study programmes take 1 to 1.5 years in the full-time form of education. Secondary schools providing secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška

examination in the given field of study may also provide shortened study programmes (zkrácené studium) aimed at acquiring secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. The shortened study programmes take 1 to 2 years in the full-time form of education. Secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination acquired in 4-year and multiyear gymnázia (group of educational fields CBBE 79 – General Preparation) provides graduates with skills and knowledge preparing them primarily for education at tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy) and for study at higher education institutions (vysoké školy). Secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination acquired in other educational fields is vocational. In the past few years, lyceum courses were introduced in the system of educational fields (group of educational fields CBBE 78 – General Vocational Preparation). These courses include the Economics lyceum, Technical lyceum, Pedagogical lyceum, Medical lyceum, Waldorf lyceum, and Natural Science lyceum. They offer a combination of general and vocational subjects, though vocational subjects are not included in such an extent as in other educational fields with vocational training. Although the graduates do not acquire vocational qualifications, they nonetheless gain professional knowledge and are better prepared to pursue a broader range of educational and study programmes within tertiary education than the graduates of vocational courses of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. The principal aim of schools offering secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate is to educate graduates with a higher need for manual skills11. Practical preparation is also a part of education 11 Schools providing CBBE courses of secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate in the code of which there is the letter “H” or “E” in the fifth position.

Table 6 Secondary schools, applicants, admitted pupils in the full-time form of education in 2007/08 (excluding follow-up courses and shortened study programmes) – 1st round of admission proceedings according to the type of education Type of education

Number of applicants (1st round)

Number of enrolled pupils – admission proceedings (1st round)

Success rate in 1st round of admission proceedings

145,299 670 38,762 105,867

121,217 634 34,061 84,522

83.4 % 94.6 % 93.0 % 79.8 %

Total Secondary education Secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate Secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination Source: IIE

The percentage of pupils admitted to secondary schools out of the number of pupils who completed compulsory school attendance in 2005/06 to 2007/08 2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Percent of pupils admitted to secondary schools out of the number of pupils completing compulsory school attendance

108.6 %

108.7 %

110.3 %

Total number of pupils newly admitted to secondary schools Number of pupils completing compulsory school attendance

136,772 125,909

140,564 129,271

133,990 121,479

Note: In the table, the pupils newly admitted to secondary schools are accounted for, excluding the number of pupils in follow-up courses and shortened study programmes. Pupils of 8-year and 6-year gymnázia are included in the grades corresponding to the first grade of secondary schools. Source: IIE

Table 8 The percentage of graduates from secondary education with the potential possibility of further education on tertiary level in years 2005/06 to 2007/08 2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Percentage of graduates from secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination with the potential possibility of further education on tertiary level

67.1 %

68.5 %

70.2 %

Graduates from secondary schools completed by a maturitní zkouška examination including graduates from follow-up courses and shortened study programmes

84,688

85,384

85,764

126,292

124,655

122,239

Number of graduates from secondary schools Source: IIE

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 7

33

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

34

in these educational fields and in some fields of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination.12 The latter includes courses demanding manual skills as well as study skills. In 2007/08, 1,447 secondary schools provided education in the Czech Republic, of which 365 schools (25.2%) were private and denominational schools. Secondary schools educated 525.8 thousand pupils in all forms of education (without follow-up courses), of which 513.7 thousand pupils were educated in full-time courses. These figures include schools for pupils with special educational needs. The participation in secondary education is traditionally high in the Czech Republic. In 2007/08 the pupils’ rate of involvement in secondary education (including schools for pupils with special educational needs) in relation to the age cohort of 15 to 18-year-old youths amounted to 96%.13 The ratio of newly admitted pupils to gymnázia (including pupils in multi-year gymnázia corresponding to the first year in secondary schools, i.e. the fifth grade of 8-year gymnázia and the third grade of 6-year gymnázia) in the number of all pupils admitted to secondary school stabilised at 16% to 22% in the past years. A similar stabilising tendency may be observed in secondary technical and vocational education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination where more than onethird of pupils are admitted on average (34.3% in 2007/08). In total, 72.9% of the newly admitted pupils at secondary schools (including follow-up study) start education that is completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. About one-third of pupils are newly admitted in secondary 12 CBBE courses of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination in the code of which there is the letter “L” in the fifth position and it is not a follow-up study. 13 The methodology of calculation: number of pupils in a full time form of education at secondary schools (without pupils in gymnázia fulfilling their compulsory school attendance), including schools for pupils with special educational needs related to the total number of the population of 15 to 18-year-olds.

education and in secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate (27.1% in 2007/08). Disabled pupils may be integrated into secondary schools that are not established specifically for disabled pupils or they may attend secondary schools for pupils with disabilities. Pupils with mental disabilities and pupils who completed practical or special basic schools may be further educated primarily in educational fields specifically suitable for their disabilities. With the Czech Republic entering the European Union, the requirements for graduates have changed in the labour market. The schools should therefore prepare their graduates for continued education throughout life, for life-long learning not only within the school system but also for further learning which is essential to have good prospects on the labour market. Other forms of education at secondary schools, i.e. distance study (dálkové), evening courses (večerní), e-learning courses (distanční), and combination of study forms (kombinované), present a very important part of life-long learning with regard to the possibility to gain further qualifications for those who have already entered the labour market. In 2007/08 there were 12.1 thousand pupils in other forms of education (excluding pupils in follow-up courses) and 23.3 thousand pupils in follow-up courses. In total 10.6 thousand pupils were educated in other fields completed by a maturitní zkouška examination and 1.5 thousand pupils were involved in courses of secondary education and secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate. In every region there is an institutionally different structure of the secondary schools network, and the regions therefore differ according to the structure of pupils in specific educational fields. In the Czech Republic as a whole, the highest percentage of 15 to 18-year-olds attend schools providing secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination and secondary education (in 2007/08 it constituted 48.1%). The next highest percentage of pupils attends schools providing

97.0 %

600 Pupils/population in thousands

The percentage of secondary school pupils (in full-time form of education) out of population of 15 to 18-year-olds in 2005/06 to 2007/08 (excluding pupils of lower grades of gymnázia and follow-up courses) Population of 15 to 18-year-olds in G courses in STS courses

96.0 %

500

95.0 % 94.0 %

400

93.0 %

300

91.9 %

91.6 %

91.7 %

92.0 % 91.0 %

200

90.0 %

100

in SVS courses

89.0 % 88.0 %

0

Percentage in the given population

2005/06

2006/07

Percent of pupils in the given population

Figure 6

2007/08

Source: IIE

The numbers of schools, pupils, newly admitted pupils and graduates from secondary schools in 2007/08 according to the type of education, excluding follow-up courses Schools1) Type of education Total Secondary schools in total secondary

1,447 106

Form of education out of total

Total

Form of education out of total

Total

Form of education out of total

Full-time 138,567 134,734 911 881

Other 3,826 30

Graduates in 2006/07

Total

Form of education out of total

Full-time 1,439 105

Other 423 1

Full-time 525,774 513,708 1,749 1,692

Other 12,066 57

Full-time 116,251 114,097 676 653

Other 2,154 23

542

32

123,550 122,135

1,415

42,619

42,093

526

36,295

35,822

473

86

55

138

83

55

80

20

60

of which shortened study programmes

7

6

1

secondary by a maturitní zkouška examination

1,236

1,233

165

400,475 389,881

10,594

95,037

91,767

3,270

79,280

77,622

1,658

313 1,186

313 1,180

x 160

86,010 86,010 314,181 303,827

x 10,354

11,808 83,070

11,808 79,918

x 3,152

10,218 69,027

10,218 67,404

x 1,623

14

6

8

240

159

41

118

35

including

including

secondary with apprenticeship certificate

Pupils newly admitted to 1st grade

Pupils

multi-year 4-year shortened study programmes

141

284

44



35

Note: 1 The total number of schools is not the sum of the number of schools according to individual classifications because the schools may realize their activities concurrently in different types and forms of education and in different educational fields. Source: IIE

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 9

35

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

36

secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate, including pupils who attain secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination in educational fields according to the CBBE in the code of which there is the letter “L” in the fifth position (31% in 2007/08), and finally, pupils attending schools providing secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination in gymnázia (20.1%). The provided figures consider data from the full-time form of education including schools for pupils with special educational needs and disregard pupils in follow-up courses and pupils who fulfil compulsory school attendance in multiyear gymnázia. A bigger part of secondary school pupils attend studies at schools providing secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination (in 2007/08 it was 76% of pupils), and a smaller part of pupils attain secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate and secondary education (24%). This is a longterm tendency. From a regional point of view, this trend does not hold true in Prague, where participation in secondary education is the highest (144.5%). There is also a different, relevant stratification in terms of the types of schools that pupils attend: the highest percentage of pupils (59.2%) attends the courses of secondary technical schools (střední odborné školy), 50.9% attend the courses of gymnázia, and 29.4% attend the courses of secondary vocational schools (střední odborná učiliště); the figures take the full-time form of education into account). The high rate of participation in education in Prague is due to the fact that Prague draws residents from neighbouring districts in the Central Bohemian Region, and in some cases, the secondary schools there function as schools for all of the Czech Republic. This role is also reflected in the comparatively low rate of participation in secondary education in the Central Bohemian Region (81.4%). It is also interesting to look at secondary education from the point of view of interest in secondary education and the extent the education systems satisfies this interest (data for 2007/08). In terms of admission proceedings,

the most successful applicants nationwide are at schools providing secondary education and secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate (93.1% success rate) and applicants for secondary education with a maturitní zkouška examination (79.8% success rate). Of the latter applicants, the lowest success rate in admission proceedings is for applicants to multi-year gymnázia (57.8% success rate). This low success rate in the admission proceedings to multi-year gymnázia is because, in many cases, parents and pupils choose multi-year gymnázia as their “first chance” to get into a secondary school and even pupils with poor records apply to these schools. In a long-term perspective, the total share of pupils accepted to secondary school in the full-time form of education in the number of pupils leaving basic schools is expressed as a percentage higher than 100%. In 2007/08 this indicator equalled 110.3%. The reason for a such figure is the fact that it includes newly accepted pupils leaving basic schools as well as those pupils who enter secondary schools from other schools (i.e. either the current school does not reach their expectations or they do not meet the demands of the field they study and the like so they enter the new school before finishing the other school), from work or from somewhere else. The indicator showing the share of newly accepted pupils in the field of secondary education out of 15-year-olds has a similar tendency. In a long-term perspective, the indicator is also higher than 100%. In 2007/08, it was at 110.5%. The reason for values above 100% is the same as with the previous indicator. Postponements of compulsory school attendance play a role here as well. The share of graduates in the fields of secondary education in the generation of 19-year-olds14 has had a rising trend in the past 5 years. In 2002, the number amounted to 83.8% and 85.9% in 2007. This indicator shows that the larger part of the generation at the relevant 14 The age cohort at the age relevant for graduation from secondary school (19 years).

including

Gymnázium courses Lyceum courses

2006/07 33,524

2007/08 33,074

27,209

27,455

26,472

5,314

6,069

6,602

Pupils in total

157,942

162,952

166,694

including Source: IIE

Newly admitted pupils in total

2005/06 32,523

143,758

145,450

145,447

Lyceum courses

14,184

17,502

21,247

Graduates in total

26,098

27,228

.

including

General secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination – newly admitted pupils, pupils and graduates in the full-time form of education from 2005/06 to 2007/08

24,001

24,193

.

2,097

3,018

Gymnázium courses

Gymnázium courses Lyceum courses

Table 11 The percentage of pupils newly admitted to general secondary education courses completed by a maturitní zkouška examination out of the total number of pupils newly admitted to secondary schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08 2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Percentage of pupils newly admitted to general secondary education courses completed by a maturitní zkouška examination

23.0 %

23.7 %

24.2 %

Number of pupils admitted to general secondary education courses completed by a maturitní zkouška examination

31,475

33,329

32,447

136,772

140,564

133,990

Total number of pupils newly admitted to secondary schools

Note: Number of admitted pupils = number of admitted pupils to gymnázium courses (the grades corresponding to the first grade of secondary school are taken into account in case of 8-year and 6-year gymnázia) and lyceum courses Source: IIE

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 10

37

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

38

age gains education at secondary schools. Of the total number of secondary school graduates, 68% of pupils graduate from fields of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. The indicator does not include graduates from follow-up courses and graduates from shortened study programmes. A further indicator is the percentage of graduates from secondary education who have the possibility of further education on the tertiary level. It is the percentage of all graduates from secondary schools completed by a maturitní zkouška examination, including graduates from follow-up courses and shortened study programmes completed by a maturitní zkouška examination, out of the total graduates of all educational fields at secondary schools. The value of this indicator has also slightly risen; it reached 67.1% in 2005 and 70.2% in 2007. However, these figures do not mean that all the potential applicants for tertiary education will study in institutions of tertiary education.

3.3.1 General Education Gymnázia15 provide secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination with general education and their main task is to prepare candidates for further studies at higher education institutions (vysoká škola), at tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborná škola) and to a lesser extent for performance of such professions which require general education. Schools where gymnázium courses are taught provide secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. The length of education at gymnázia is set by the Act No. 561/2004 at four, six and eight years. Gymnázia for pupils with disabilities are established for disabled pupils. Disabled pupils may also be educated in special classes of secondary schools with gymnázium courses (it mainly concerns pupils in lower stage of schools with multiyear education where they fulfil their compulsory school 15 Including courses at sports schools.

attendance), or they may be integrated into regular classes with other children. Gymnázium is the overwhelming type of secondary school providing general secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination (lyceum courses are also included in general education), and thus its overall role in the Czech education system is irreplaceable. If the number of pupils attending schools with gymnázium and lyceum courses is compared with the number of pupils attending general education on secondary level in other EU countries, the ratio of general secondary education in the Czech Republic is relatively low. Every school offering gymnázium courses in the Czech Republic teaches according to the approved curricular documents. These documents enable schools to provide courses with various specialisations; to increase the number of lessons in compulsory subjects within available lessons; and to introduce optional subjects according to pupils’ interests, pedagogical objectives and conditions of individual schools. Framework Educational Programmes for Gymnázia (FEP G) and Framework Educational Programmes for Sports Training Gymnázia (FEP STG) were mentioned above. These programmes are intended for 4–year gymnázia and for the higher stage of multi-year gymnázia. In September 2007, the two-year period started in which gymnázia shall prepare their school educational programmes (SEPs). They shall start teaching according to these programmes by September 1, 2009 at the latest. The schools offering gymnázium courses (4-year as well as multi-year) which wished to teach according to their own SEP from September 1, 2007 had to announce this fact to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports by August 17, 2007 at the latest so that the new educational field could be entered in the Register of Schools and School Facilities with legal force as of September 1, 2007. In the Czech Republic, the network of schools providing gymnázium courses is very dense and thus enables most students to gain general secondary education completed

140

50

120 40 30

100 23.0

24.2

23.7

80 60

20

Number of pupils newly admitted 10 to general secondary education courses completed by a maturitní zkouška examination 0 in thousands (incl. lycea) Percentage of pupils newly admitted to general secondary education courses completed by a maturitní zkouška examination in %

160

31,475

33,329

32,447

40 20 0

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Source: IIE

Table 12 The percentage of graduates who attained general secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination out of the number of all secondary school graduates in 2004/05 to 2006/07 2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

Percentage of graduates who attained general secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination

22.9 %

22.5 %

23.9 %

Number of graduates who attained general secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination

26,931

26,133

27,211

117,477

116,344

114,097

Number of secondary school graduates

Note: Number of graduates = number of graduates from gymnázium courses of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination and from lyceum courses of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. Source: IIE

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Total number of pupils admitted to SSs in thousands

60 Percent of admitted pupils

The percentage of pupils newly admitted to general secondary education courses completed by a maturitní zkouška examination out of the total number of pupils newly admitted to secondary schools in 2005/06 to 2007/08 (including lycea)

Total number of pupils newly admitted to SSs in thousands

Figure 7

39

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

40

by a maturitní zkouška examination without having to commute far. There are schools providing gymnázium courses in all districts except for district Prague – West. However, the pupils from this district may attend these schools in Prague without any problems. The number of schools providing gymnázium courses has not changed very much in the past three years. There were 373 these schools in the Czech Republic in 2007/08, of which 24.9% were established by private founders or the church. General education in lyceum courses was provided by 217 schools, of which 13.4% of schools with lyceum courses are private and denominational. The numbers of pupils newly admitted to the fulltime form of education in multi-year gymnázia slightly increased in 2007/08 in comparison with the previous school year to the number of 11.7 thousand. In total, 26.5 thousand pupils were admitted to the full-time form of education to schools providing gymnázium courses. There were 3.3 thousand pupils admitted to private and denominational schools. In 2005/06, 5,314 pupils entered lyceum courses and in 2007/08, their number amounted to 6,602. The percentage of pupils newly admitted to gymnázium courses of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination out of the total number of pupils newly accepted to secondary schools has slightly risen in the past three years: the percentage amounted to 23% in 2005 and in the school year 2007/08 it reached 24.2%, out of which 4.9% of pupils were newly admitted to lyceum courses. This indicator compares the number of pupils of general secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination from gymnázium as well as lyceum courses with the total number of pupils newly admitted to secondary schools. It is the aim to achieve the 35% of all pupils admitted to secondary schools by the school year 2010/11. In 2007/08, the number of pupils attending schools providing gymnázium courses in the full-time form of education remained on the same level as the previous

school year and amounted to 145.5 thousand pupils. The pupils of multi-year gymnázia present 59.1% of all pupils attending schools providing gymnázium courses in the full-time form of education. The pupils of private and denominational schools do not form an insignificant percent of the total number of pupils: in the past years their population in gymnázium courses has almost amounted to 13%. In 2007/08, there were 21,247 pupils being educated in lyceum courses, out of which 6.8% of pupils were educated in private and denominational schools. The number of graduates from four-year schools providing gymnázium courses in the year 2006/07 in the full-time form of education amounted to 14.0 thousand (as opposed to the stagnant number in the previous school year) and in multi-year gymnázia there were 10.2 thousand graduates which is 1.6 thousand pupils less than in the previous year. In total, 24.4 thousand pupils graduated from gymnázia in 2006/07 which was 2.4 thousand less than in the previous year. There were 3,018 pupils who graduated from lyceum courses which was 921 pupils more than in the school year 2005/06. The percentage of graduates who acquired general secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination out of the total number of secondary school graduates has been increasing: in 2004/05 it represented 22.9% of graduates, and in 2006/07 the percent increased to 23.9%. The indicator takes into account all the graduates who attained general secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination, i.e. including lyceum courses. The schools providing gymnázium courses are more or less evenly distributed throughout the whole Czech Republic. Individual regions differ in the number of private and denominational schools. The highest number of these schools may be found in Prague (44.4% with 23.3% of pupils) and in the South Moravian Region (30% of schools with 19.9% of pupils). On the other hand, the lowest ratio of private and denominational

3.3.2 Technical and Vocational Secondary Education Attending courses of secondary technical schools (střední odborné školy) and secondary vocational schools (střední odborná učiliště) in the Czech Republic, the pupils may attain secondary education, secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination and secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate. Secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination is also provided by schools in follow-up courses and shorten study programmes aimed at acquiring secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. The code construction of the CBBE course is such that the lyceum courses are also classed among the courses of secondary technical schools (CBBE courses in the code of which there is the letter “M” in the fifth position), although they are general education courses in their nature. In order to maintain the timelines published in the past, these courses are included in this chapter. Secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate is mainly acquired by pupils in courses at secondary vocational schools (in two-year and three-year courses) and in shortened study programmes aimed at attaining secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate. Secondary schools with courses of secondary technical schools also offer secondary education to pupils who completed basic

school. Pupils who terminated basic school in a lower grade than in the ninth grade are offered two-year vocational training in courses provided by secondary vocational schools. Pupils who completed practical basic school or special basic school may attend two-year or three-year courses of vocational training, and pupils who completed practical school may attend one-year, twoyear or three-year courses. At the same time, schools offer further possibilities of education within technical and vocational education, for example one-subject courses and retraining courses. Technical and vocational secondary education is one of the areas of education in which economic changes and changes in the demands of the labour market are first reflected. The structure of technical and vocational secondary education has become an issue of dispute among experts, social partners and the general public. These discussions are mainly based on the high unemployment rate of graduates from some educational fields. The aims, content and quality of education are essential for the further development of technical and vocational secondary education. Technical and vocational secondary education should not only focus on preparing graduates for immediate entry to their first jobs, but it should also create prerequisites for their further professional career throughout their whole life. Vocational training, therefore, may not only be based on present needs but it should also be directed toward the future requirements of labour market, considering the necessary qualifications. Pupils should leave schools as specialised experts, as well as being graduates with a broad profile corresponding to general technical education. At the same time, they should be able to further develop their potential and should be able and willing to be educated throughout their whole lives according to the requirements of the labour market. The adoption of the first framework educational programmes (FEPs) for individual basic branches of education as described above represents a significant step

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

schools offering gymnázium courses is in the Karlovy Vary Region (9.1% of schools with 3.3% of pupils). In 2007/08, the highest average size of schools offering gymnázium courses was in the Zlín Region (511 pupils per school) and the smallest schools on average may be found in the Pardubice Region (356 pupils per school). The schools providing lyceum courses are also quite evenly distributed throughout the country. Most schools may be found in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Out of the total number of lyceum, 12% are private and denominational schools.

41

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

42

in educational programmes for technical and vocational education in accordance with the Section 4, Par. 3, of the Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education (the Education Act), as amended. The schools where it is possible to attain secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination in vocational courses prepare their pupils for performance of vocational activities (technical, managerial, economic, agricultural, medical, pedagogical, artistic, and cultural). In 2007/08, 911 schools offered this education in the full-time form of education, out of which 217 schools offered lyceum courses simultaneously. Six schools offered shortened study programmes aimed at attaining secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination. Follow-up courses of secondary education completed by maturitní zkouška examination were offered by 363 schools. Schools providing secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate in the full-time form of education in 2007/08 numbered 542 and 6 schools provided shortened study programmes aimed at attaining secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate. Shorter educational programmes providing secondary education in specialised courses particularly in nursing, social care and charity services were provided by 105 schools in 2007/08. Pupils who attained technical secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination may continue with their education at a tertiary professional school or at a higher education institution. Schools offering secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination do not have problems with the lack of applicants, as these courses are quite popular. The maturitní zkouška examination may also be taken after completing a follow-up course. Follow-up courses are the subject of a separate sub-section (3.3.3). The number of pupils newly admitted in the full-time form of technical and vocational secondary education

has slightly increased in the past few years. In 2007/08, 119.7 thousand pupils were admitted to the full-time form of education. Most pupils were admitted to attend secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination (54.6%) and 35.2% of pupils were admitted to secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate. The structure of courses attended by the newly admitted pupils has stabilised in the past three years. Traditionally, most pupils (13.4% of all admitted pupils) choose to study the field group of Gastronomy, Hotel Industry and Tourism (these types of secondary education are mostly completed by an apprenticeship certificate); then Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Production; Entrepreneurial Activities in Fields and Branches; Electrical Engineering, Telecommunication and Information Technology; and Economics and Administration. The percentage of pupils admitted to these five field groups amounts to 53.1% of all admitted pupils. The next most popular field groups in 2007/08 were Mechanical Engineering and Building Industry, and General Vocational Training (mostly in lyceum courses) which admitted 12.9% of new pupils. In 2007/08, the total number of pupils attending courses of technical and vocational secondary education slightly increased to 422.9 thousand pupils (out of which 388.5 thousand pupils in the full-time form of education) in comparison with the previous year. From 2005/06 onwards, the total number of pupils attending courses of secondary technical schools does not include conservatoires. Conservatoires are handled in a separate chapter (3.4). Most pupils attend courses of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination (62.9%). The secondary education courses leading to an apprenticeship certificate were attended by 31.4% of pupils in the full-time form of education. The development of the number of graduates from secondary technical and vocational schools copies the development of the number of pupils newly admitted to

Table 13

Schools

Pupils in total

Pupils newly admitted to 1st grade in total

Graduates in 2006/07 in total

1,074 105

388,493 1,692

119,675 881

98,046 653

Secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate

542

122,049

42,010

35,802

Technical secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination

911

244,390

65,254

53,429

of which lyceum Follow-up courses

217 363

21,247 20,232

6,602 11,406

3,018 8,142

Shortened secondary study programmes leading to an apprenticeship certificate

6

86

83

20

Shortened secondary study programmes completed by a maturitní zkouška examination

6

44

41

Type of education Full-time education Secondary education



Source: IIE

Table 14 The percentage of pupils newly admitted to secondary education courses leading to an apprenticeship certificate 2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Percentage of pupils newly admitted to secondary education courses leading to an apprenticeship certificate

34.0 %

32.3 %

31.4 %

Number of pupils newly admitted to secondary education courses leading to an apprenticeship certificate

46,504

45,472

42,010

136,772

140,564

133,990

Total number of pupils newly admitted to secondary schools Source: IIE

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Technical secondary education, schools, pupils, newly admitted pupils and graduates in 2007/08 according to the type of education

43

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

44

these schools in the past years. In 2006/07, 98.0 thousand pupils in the full-time form of education graduated from these schools out of which the majority (54.5 thousand pupils) completed the secondary education with a maturitní zkouška examination (excluding pupils from follow-up courses) and 36.5% of pupils acquired apprenticeship certificates. The regional distribution of schools providing technical and vocational secondary education in the Czech Republic is much more homogenous in comparison with schools providing gymnázium courses, regarding the population of the region in particular. On average, 0.21 schools provided technical and vocational secondary education per 100 people from the ages of 15 to 18. The regions differ in the size of these schools as well. The average size ranges from 315 pupils per school in the Central Bohemian Region to 453 pupils per school in the South Moravian Region and 497 pupils per school in the Moravian-Silesian Region.

3.3.3 Follow-Up Courses Secondary schools offer follow-up courses particularly intended for graduates from three-year courses of secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate. These courses are completed by a maturitní zkouška examination (in the full-time form of education in two-year courses). The graduates attain the same education as graduates from courses of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination and may further continue studying at a tertiary professional school or at a higher education institution. In the school year 2007/08, it was possible to take follow-up courses at 438 schools of which 363 schools offered the full-time form of education. Almost one third of these schools (28%) were private or denominational schools. In the school year 2007/08, 11.4 thousand pupils were admitted to the full time form of education in

follow-up courses. The following field groups showed the highest interest: Entrepreneurial Activities in Fields and Branches (54.4% of pupils); Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Production (8% of pupils); Electrical Engineering, Telecommunication and Information Technology (8.9% of admitted pupils); and Gastronomy, Hotel Industry and Tourism (8.9% of pupils). The number of pupils newly admitted to follow-up courses to the number of graduates from secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate has been rising. In 2005/06, the percent amounted to 29.7%, and in 2007/08 it represented 32.6% of pupils. In follow-up courses, 20.2 thousand pupils are educated in the full-time form of education. In other forms of education, the pupils of follow-up courses at secondary schools constitute the majority: in 2007/08 23.3 thousand pupils in total were educated in follow-up courses in other forms of education in the Czech Republic, accounting for over 65.8% of all pupils attending other forms of education at secondary schools. The percentage of pupils newly admitted to follow-up courses in other forms of education out of all pupils admitted to other forms of education is high. In 2005, 45.8% of pupils were admitted to other forms of education and in 2007/08 constituted 49.1% of pupils. The percentage of pupils in follow-up courses out of the number of all pupils in secondary education (including follow-up courses as well as shortened study programmes) has slightly decreased in the past years. In 2005/06, it represented 4.3% of pupils, and this year the figure has decreased to 4.1%. In 2006/07, 14.0 thousand pupils graduated from follow-up courses out of which 8.1 thousand pupils graduated in the full-time courses. In 2007/08 the percentage of graduates from follow-up courses out of the number of all graduates from courses of secondary education (including follow-up courses as well as shortened study programmes) totalled 10.8% of pupils of which 6.7% in full-time courses.

Table 15 The percentage of pupils newly admitted to follow-up courses (full-time) out of the graduates from 3-year courses of secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate in 2005/06 to 2007/08 2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Percentage of pupils newly admitted to follow-up courses out of the graduates from 3-year courses of secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate

29.7 %

29.7 %

32.6 %

Number of pupils newly admitted to the full-time education in follow-up courses

11,723

11,174

11,406

Number of graduates from courses of secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate in the full-time education

39,487

37,564

34,944

Source: IIE

The percentage of pupils in follow-up courses out of all secondary school pupils (incl. pupils of follow-up courses and shortened study programmes) in 2005/06 to 2007/08 Percentage of pupils in follow-up courses in the number of all secondary school pupils (incl. pupils of follow-up courses and shortened study programmes) Number of pupils in follow-up courses Number of pupils at SSs (incl. follow-up courses and shortened study programmes) Source: IIE

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

4.3 %

4.2 %

4.1 %

21,419 498,913

20,768 498,805

20,232 491,111

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 16

45

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

46

3.4 Education in the Conservatoire Since the school year 2005/06, the conservatoires have been classified as an independent type of school in accordance with the Act No. 561/2004 Coll. They are not recorded together with secondary education but are mentioned completely separately. The education in the conservatoire develops pupils’ skills, knowledge and other abilities gained in basic art education and further provides general education and prepares the pupils for the performance of demanding artistic or combined artistic and pedagogical activities in the fields of music, dance, singing and drama. In the conservatoire, it is possible to acquire either secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination (first after four years in the full-time form of education in a 6-year educational programme or after eight years in the full-time form of education in an 8-year educational programme) or tertiary professional education in the conservatoire (by passing an absolutorium examination after successful completion of 6-year or 8-year educational programme). Pupils who completed five grades of basic school may be admitted to study the 8-year dance course. There are Conservatoires for Dance in Prague, Brno and Ostrava within the administrative competence of the regions. In Prague, there are also two private Conservatoires for Dance. Applicants who fulfilled the compulsory school attendance or who successfully completed basic education before fulfilling the compulsory school attendance are admitted to the first year of the 6-year educational programme at the conservatoire. The network of conservatoires in the Czech Republic is not very dense, and in some areas there are no conservatoires. In 2007/08 school year, there were 19 conservatoires, the majority of which were founded by the region (12), by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (1) and the Ministry of Defence (1). There are only 5 conservatoires established by private or denominational founders. The highest number of conservatoires is located

in Prague (7) out of which there is one conservatoire established for disabled pupils. In the Ústí nad Labem, South Moravian, Zlín, and Moravian-Silesian Regions there are two schools in each region, and in the Central Bohemian, South Bohemian, Plzeň, and Pardubice Regions there is just one conservatoire in each region. The average size of each school amounts to 189.8 of pupils. In 2007/08 school year, 3,411 pupils were educated at conservatoires in the full-time form of education out of which 2,752 pupils attended 6-year form of education and 659 pupils attended 8-year form of education in the dance course. There were further 195 pupils educated in other forms of education. In total, 598 pupils were admitted in the first years of the full-time form of education out of which 524 pupils were admitted to the 6-year course after having completed the compulsory school attendance and 74 pupils were admitted to the 8-year courses after having successfully completed five grades of basic school. The percentage of pupils newly admitted in conservatoire courses out of the number of pupils who have completed their compulsory school attendance has been quite stable and ranges from 0.4% of pupils in the past two years to 0.5% of pupils in 2007/08.

3.5 Education of Pupils with Special Educational Needs The education of children, pupils, students and adults with special educational needs forms an integral part of the Czech education system. These educational services are directed toward children, pupils and students with disabilities and health or social disadvantages who are unable to achieve the appropriate level of education using standard pedagogical methods and processes due to their disability or health or social disadvantages, and while educating them, it is necessary to choose the appropriate content and organisational form of education and use methods and procedures of special pedagogy. Schools

Table 17 Form of education Length of education

Education in conservatoires – pupils, newly admitted pupils and graduates according to the form and length of education in 2007/08

Pupils in total

Pupils newly admitted to 1st grade1)

Graduates in 2006/072)

3,606 3,411 2,752 659 195 195 x

644 598 524 74 46 46 x

458 425 351 59 33 31 x

Pupils in total Full-time education 6 to 7-year education 8-year education Other forms of education 6-year education 8-year education

1 Number of admitted pupils = number of admitted pupils in the first grades. 2 The graduates of 4-year courses of secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination are not included in the number of graduates according to the length of study (with 6 to 7-year and 8-year education). Source: IIE

Table 18

Percentage of pupils newly admitted to conservatoire courses out of the number of pupils having completed their compulsory school attendance Total number of pupils newly admitted to conservatoire courses Number of pupils having completed their compulsory school attendance

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

0.4 %

0.4 %

0.5 %

527 125,909

565 129,271

623 121,479

Note: The total number of pupils newly admitted in conservatoire courses = total number of pupils newly admitted in the first grades of 6-year conservatoire courses and the number of pupils attending 8-year conservatoire courses corresponding to the first grade of secondary schools (i.e. the fifth grade of 8-year conservatoires). Source: IIE

Table 19 The number of schools and pupils with special educational needs according to type of integration in 2007/08

Source: IIE

Number of schools

Number of classes

Number of children, pupils and students

Percent of disabled children, pupils and students out of the total number of children, pupils and students

Number of schools

Number of children, pupils and students

Percent of disabled children, pupils and students out of the total number of children, pupils and students

Individually integrated disabled children, pupils and students

Percent of disabled children, pupils and students out of the total number of children, pupils and students

Nursery schools 1,007 Basic schools 3,311 Secondary schools 565 Conservatoires 2 Tertiary professional schools 11

Disabled children, pupils and studens in special classes

Number of children, pupils and students

Number of schools

Disabled children, pupils and students in total

8,533 76,294 19,367 71 21

2.9 % 9.0 % 3.4 % 2.0 % 0.7 %

356 674 211 1 –

653 4,698 1,583 – –

6,850 40,209 14,638 65 –

80.3 % 52.7 % 75.6 % 91.5 % –

716 2,871 379 1 11

1,683 36,085 4,729 6 21

19.7 % 47.3 % 24.4 % 8.5 % 100.0 %

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

The percentage of pupils newly admitted to conservatoire courses out of the number of pupils having completed their compulsory school attendance in 2005/06 to 2007/08

47

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

48

cooperate with school guidance facilities in providing the educational conditions for children, pupils and students with special educational needs. The school guidance facilities provide information, diagnostic, guidance and methodological activities to children, pupils and students and to their legal representatives, schools and school facilities. They further provide professional special educational services as well as combined educational and psychological services, preventive educational care, and they assist in choosing the suitable education for children, pupils or students and in preparing them for their future careers (special educational centres, educational and psychological guidance services, and centres for educational care). By the regulation No. 73/2005 Coll., on Education of Children, Pupils and Students with Special Educational Needs, and Exceptionally Gifted Children, Pupils and Students, as amended, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports sets forth the rules and essentials for providing for the educational needs of children, pupils and students with special educational needs and the modification of organisation, admission, process and completion of education for these children. It further regulates the requirements of the individual education plan and conditions for transfers to upper years. In accordance with Section 16 of Education Act,16 it is set forth that the education of children, pupils and students with special educational needs is carried out either by individual integration which means that a child or pupil with special educational needs is included in regular classes while receiving the necessary special educational or psychological support or in schools or individual classes, departments or study groups with adapted educational programmes within schools established for children, pupils and students with special educational needs. Pupils with severe mental disabilities, pupils with 16 Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, as amended.

multiple disabilities and autistic pupils have the right to be educated at a special basic school if they are not educated otherwise. It is possible to simultaneously combine the individual types of integration. Apart from the educational staff at schools for children, pupils and students with special educational needs, who are required to have completed education in special pedagogy, there are further staff who provide for comprehensive care for the pupils: school psychologists, specialist medical workers (based on contractual relationship with insurance companies; it mainly concerns physiotherapists), social workers, teachers’ assistants, and other staff. Together with the integration of children, pupils and students with special educational needs into regular schools, there is an increasing number of teachers in regular schools who are qualified in special pedagogy and thus have the specialised pedagogical qualification to work with pupils requiring special care. This trend positively affects the integration process of the disabled children, pupils and students into society. Creating suitable educational conditions for children, pupils and students with special educational needs is a necessary prerequisite for their education subsequently enabling their active participation in the every-day life in society. It is possible to establish a preparatory stage of special basic school at special basic schools which provides preparation for education to children with severe mental disabilities, pupils with multiple disabilities and autistic pupils. With the consent of the child’s legal representative and on the basis of recommendations from school guidance facility and a specialised doctor, it is possible to include a child of over 5 years of age or a child who was permitted to postpone his/her compulsory school attendance due to his/her disability in the preparatory stage. The education in the preparatory stage of special basic school may last from one to three school years. There were 196 children educated in the preparatory stage in 2007/08. The preparatory stage was established at 45 special basic schools.

Table 20 The number of children, pupils and students with special educational needs according to the type of disability in 2007/08 Children, pupils and students according to disabilities Total

Nursery schools 8,533 Basic schools 76,294 Secondary schools 19,367 Conservatoires 71 Tertiary professional schools 21

Mental disability 462 26,241 11,433 – –

Hearing Vision Speech impairment impairment impediment 236 1,271 516 – 6

497 740 345 56 3

4,964 1,849 26 – –

Physical disability

Multiple disabilities

355 1,433 737 – 8

1,342 4,621 773 10 –

Developmental Developmental learning behaviour Autism disorders disorders 367 36,988 5,486 5 4

– 2,169 – – –

310 982 51 – –

Figure 8 The number of children integrated individually and in special classes at nursery schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08

8,000 6,850

6,877

6,769

7,000 6,000 5,000

Individually integrated In special classes

4,000 3,000 2,000

1,515

1,591

1,683

1,000 0 Source: IIE

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Source: IIE

49

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

50

Special education provides education and training to children, pupils and students from pre-primary to secondary educational levels within differentiated educational programmes which respect the educational needs of children, pupils and students with different types of disabilities. Children and pupils with special educational needs may often complete their educational process within one legal entity with several educational levels including the nursery, basic as well as secondary school in some cases. In the same way as regular basic and secondary schools, the basic schools for children with special educational needs also offer courses for completing basic education. Similarly, practical basic schools and special basic schools offer special courses aimed at the completion of the education provided at these types of schools. These courses are aimed at citizens who completed the compulsory school attendance without attaining the corresponding educational level. Schools established at school facilities providing institutional education, protective education and preventive educational care also belong to the system of special education. These schools will be dealt with in Section 3.7 School Facilities. The network of schools providing education to children and pupils with special educational needs and the network of school facilities providing institutional education, protective education and preventive educational care (including special classes at regular schools) is currently quite extensive and available to most disabled pupils. The vast majority of these schools are established by municipalities or regions (special classes at basic schools are mainly established by municipalities). A part of the network is formed by schools established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (it concerns schools with a national coverage). Some schools established by a private entity or churches also provide education to children with special educational needs. In 2007/08, there were 1,007 nursery schools providing pre-primary education to 8.5 thousand children who

required special care. There were 6.8 thousand children educated in the form of group integration and 1.7 thousand children integrated individually. The health condition of 86% of the individually integrated children required increased costs for their education. The nursery schools were attended particularly by pupils with speech impediment (58.2% of all disabled children) and children with multiple disabilities (15.3%). Over 5% of children with special educational needs are visually impaired (5.8%) and have mental disabilities (5.4%). In total, 2.9% of the children required special care out of the total number of children in pre-primary education. In basic education, there were a total of 3,311 basic schools in the Czech Republic where 76.3 thousand pupils with special educational needs were educated. There were 40.2 thousand pupils educated in the form of group integration (including special classes which amounted to 4,698) at 674 schools. There were 36.1 thousand pupils with special educational needs who were individually integrated while increased costs were necessary for 82% of them. Individual integration was offered at 2,871 schools. About one half of disabled children (47%) were educated in the form of individual integration. The ratio of pupils with special educational needs amounts to 9% of the total number of pupils in basic education. Most pupils with special educational needs in basic education have delayed development in learning (48.5% of all disabled pupils) and second place is taken by pupils with mental disabilities (34.4%). The third most frequent disability is multiple disabilities (6.1% of pupils). The percentage of children with other types of disability ranges from 1 to 3%. In 2007/08, there were 19.4 thousand pupils (i.e. 3.4% of all secondary school pupils) with special educational needs at 565 secondary schools. There were 4.7 thousand pupils individually integrated and 14.6 thousand pupils integrated in groups. For 29.6% of individually integrated pupils it was necessary to expend increased costs for their education. Secondary schools were attended primarily by pupils with mental disabilities (59% of all pupils with

Figure 9 The number of children integrated individually and in special classes at basic schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08 Individually integrated

50,000

45,556

43,612 39,982

42,093

40,000

40,209 36,085

30,000

In special classes 20,000

10,000

0 2005/06

Source: IIE

2006/07

2007/08

The number of children integrated individually and in special classes at secondary schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08

18,000

16,346

16,239

16,000

14,638

14,000 12,000

Individually integrated In special classes

10,000 8,000 6,000

4,164

4,502

4,729

4,000 2,000 0 Source: IIE

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Figure 10

51

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

52

special educational needs), developmental learning disorders (28.3%) and pupils with multiple disabilities (4%). There were less than 3% of pupils with other kinds of disabilities. The conservatoires were attended by 71 pupils with special educational needs, representing 2% of all pupils at the conservatoires. These pupils were educated at 2 schools. There were 78.9% of visually impaired pupils, 14.1% with multiple disabilities, and 7% requiring special care in the area of developmental learning disorders. In 2007/08, tertiary professional schools registered 21 disabled students which was 0.7% of all students attending tertiary professional schools. These pupils were educated at 11 tertiary professional schools. Most often pupils with physical disabilities were educated there (38.1% of all students with special educational needs), further with hearing impairment (28.6%) and with developmental learning disorders (19%). Of disabled students attending tertiary professional schools, 14.3% suffer from visual impairment.

3.6 Tertiary Professional Schools Tertiary professional schools (TPSs) have formed a part of the Czech education system since 1996/97. They broaden the offer of education on the tertiary level and they primarily provide professionally focussed education. According to the International Standard Classification of Education ISCED-97, this separate educational stage is classified as 5B. In the tertiary educational sphere, the study programmes at tertiary professional schools present an independent and respected educational offer, and they suitably and flexibly supplement the Bachelor’s study programmes at higher education institutions. Tertiary professional education is completed education, and it is not a transition between secondary and higher education. Tertiary professional education provided at tertiary professional schools develops and broadens students’

skills and knowledge gained within secondary education and provides general and professional education for performance of demanding activities. On successful completion of the given accredited study programme, a student achieves the level of tertiary professional education. The length of the tertiary professional education in the full-time form of study amounts to 3 years including practical training; medical courses last up to 3.5 years. The length of e-learning, evening or distance study courses or combination of study forms is, at the most, 1 year longer than the length of education in the full-time. Tertiary professional education is completed by passing an absolutorium examination. The leavers are awarded a degree “qualified specialist” (dimplomovaný specialista), abbreviated as DiS., which is used behind the surname. Payment for the tertiary professional education (so-called “school fee”) is required at all tertiary professional schools including public schools established by a region. By establishing tertiary professional schools, the graduates from the secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination who are more practically focused gained new possibilities for continuing with education. These students, for whom higher education seems too theoretical and therefore do not consider studying at a higher education institution, may thus achieve a higher level of education even in areas that are not yet offered at higher education institutions or that are offered in such a way which is not suitable for an applicant. The number of TPSs has been relatively stable during their existence. In 2007/08 school year, 177 schools were registered of which one third (59 schools) were nonpublic: 7% of schools were denominational and 26.5% of schools were private. (For example, in 2000/01 there were 165 registered tertiary professional schools, in 2003/04 there were 168 schools and in 2006/07 there were 174 schools.) Most schools offer the full-time form of education (over 96% of schools) and 38.4% of schools provide education in other forms of education as well.

Table 21 TPSs – the number of schools, students, newly admitted students, graduates and teachers in 2005/06 to 2007/08

Schools Students Newly admitted students Graduates Teachers

Source: IIE

2005/06 176 28,792 11,341 7,989 1,923

2006/07 174 27,650 11,052 7,521 1,792

2007/08 177 28,774 11,975 6,233 1,799

Figure 11 TPSs – the percentage of newly admitted students and graduates in the corresponding age groups in 2005/06 to 2007/08

8.0 % 7.2 %

7.0 %

7.0 %

6.6 %

6.0 % 5.1 % 4.6 %

5.0 %

Percentage of TPS graduates in the corresponding age group

3.9 %

4.0 % 3.0 % 2.0 % 1.0 % 0.0 %

Source: IIE

2005

2006

2007

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Percentage of newly admitted students to TPSs in the corresponding age group

53

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

54

The number of newly admitted students to the education at TPSs has been changing since the time of their existence: it has ranged from 10 to 14 thousand. The number of students newly admitted to the full-time form of education at the tertiary professional schools has fallen due to a greater openness of higher education institutions. In 2007/08, less than 12 thousand students were newly admitted to education at tertiary professional schools, which is 900 students more than in 2006/07. This increase was primarily caused by a higher number of students in other forms of education, whereas the number of students newly admitted in the full-time form of education has been falling. There were 26.6% of students admitted to other forms of education out of the total number of newly admitted students, which was 9% more than in the previous school year. The increasing number of students newly admitted to other forms of education was probably caused by the change in qualification requirements for some jobs when some employees are forced to complete their education or the necessary qualification. Although the interest in education at tertiary professional schools is still quite high, a decrease in this interest has been noted in the previous years. However, the interest in education at tertiary professional schools has slightly increased again in 2007/08 and 17.5 thousand candidates applied for this type of education (which is approximately 300 applicants more than in the previous year). On average, every candidate filed 1.2 of application forms. Three quarters of the candidates applied for the full-time form of education. The majority of applicants accepted to the education attend tertiary professional schools immediately after completing secondary education with a maturitní zkouška examination. This percentage is more or less stable and amounts to around 70% (in 2007/08 the percentage amounted to 71.6% and in the previous year to 72.8%). Tertiary professional schools are mostly attended by graduates from secondary technical schools (in 2007/08 they constituted 67% of all admitted students), followed

by graduates from secondary vocational schools (20%) and gymnázia (13%). The percentage of students newly admitted to the education at TPSs in the corresponding age group (of 19-year-olds) amounts to 6.6%. In comparison with the previous year, there has been a decrease of 0.4%. It happened for the first time that the percent of the newly admitted pupils in the corresponding age group occurred below 7%. This percentage was quite stable in the previous years and it was around the mentioned 7%. It will be possible to say whether it is an accidental occurrence or whether it is a new tendency on the basis of further figures from the following years. It is possible that the decrease was influenced by an increasing offer of study programmes at higher education institutions that still satisfies a greater number of applicants for education at a higher education institution, “fresh” secondary school graduates in particular. If this increase continues, it is probable that the representation of newly admitted pupils in the population of 19-year-olds at tertiary professional schools will decrease. In total 28.8 thousand students attended tertiary professional schools in 2007/08 school year 35.4% of which studied at private and denominational schools. The majority of students (77.5%) studied in the full-time form of education. In the past years, there were around 7.5 thousand graduates from tertiary professional schools per year. In 2006/07, however, this number fell to 6.2 thousand students, whereas 7.5 thousand graduates left tertiary professional schools just the year before. This decrease was primarily caused by a smaller interest in education at TPS in the previous years. Regarding the percentage of TPSs graduates in the corresponding age group, the TPS graduates constitute 3.9% of people in the relevant age group which presents a decrease of 0.5% in comparison with the previous year. The offer of educational programmes at tertiary professional schools has been quite ample since the

Table 22 TPSs – the number of students and newly admitted students according to the form of education and branches of CBBE in 2007/08 Full-time education Students

Students

Newly amitted students to 1st grade

11,975 88 277

22,295 197 545

8,786 88 222

6,479 37 55

3,189 – 55

1,412

622

1,398

608

14

14

61 123 34 231 611 124 332 846 5,719 246 5,100 1,410 1,908 173 3,163 661 4,563 1,216 7

26 51 21 118 266 70 159 349 2,088 97 2,139 546 788 79 1,606 246 1,796 536 7

61 123 34 121 516 124 192 693 4,762 57 3,976 1,162 1,779 173 1,520 611 3,035 1,216 –

26 51 21 45 218 70 85 286 1,704 27 1,578 434 705 79 616 220 1,167 536 –

– – – 110 95 – 140 153 957 189 1,124 248 129 – 1,643 50 1,528 – 7

– – – 73 48 – 74 63 384 70 561 112 83 – 990 26 629 – 7

Students 28,774 234 600

26 Electrical Engineering, Telecommunication and Information Technology 28 Technical Chemistry, Silicate Chemistry 29 Food Industry, Food Chemistry 31 Textile Production and Clothing Industry 33 Timber Processing, Production of Musical Instruments 36 Building Industry, Geodesy, Cartography 37 Transportation and Connections 39 Special and Interdisciplinary Branches 41 Agriculture and Forestry 53 Health Care 61 Philosophy, Theology 63 Economics and Administration 64 Entrepreneurial Activities in Fields and Branches 65 Gastronomy, Hotel Industry and Tourism 66 Business 68 Law, Legal Activities 72 Journalism, Library and Information Science 75 Pedagogy, Teaching and Social Care 82 Art and Applied Art 91 Theory of the Art of War

Total 16 Ecology and Environmental Protection 23 Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Production

Source: IIE

Other forms of education

Newly amitted students to 1st grade

Newly amitted students to 1st grade

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Total

55

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

56

beginning of their existence. The economic, medical and educational courses traditionally accepted the highest number of students. In this sense, the school year 2007/08 was no exception: most students were accepted to medical courses (19.4%); economy courses (17.9%); and pedagogy courses including social care (13.3%). These courses were followed by electro-technical courses including telecommunications and information technologies (6.9%), and law courses (7%). The percentage of admitted students to individual educational programmes in the full-time form of education is just a little different from the percentage of pupils in individual groups of programmes in all forms of education. In other forms of education: the first position was taken by law study programmes (31%); followed by pedagogy courses including social care (19.7%); economy courses (17.6%) in the third position; and medical programmes (12%) in the fourth position. Tertiary professional schools are the type of schools that are located very unevenly across the area of the Czech Republic. They are concentrated in big cities and many of them have an impact beyond the region in which they are located. The highest number of tertiary professional schools may thus be found in Prague (38 schools), and in the Central Bohemian (18 schools) and South Bohemian (17 schools) Regions. On the other hand, the lowest number of tertiary professional schools is located in the Karlovy Vary (3 schools) and Plzeň (5 schools) Regions.

3.7 School Facilities Apart from schools, the education system also includes facilities and institutions that create social background for schools (catering and accommodation for pupils and students) and support extra-curricular educational activities (after-school care centres – školní družiny, school clubs – školní kluby, basic art schools – základní umělecké školy, language schools, leisure time centres for children and youth – střediska pro volný čas dětí

a mládeže etc.). Further, establishments for institutional and protective education and for preventive educational care constitute an important part of the education system. The system of school establishments creates a system of complementary care which fulfils the following functions in particular: ¾ special interest education outside school hours (afterschool care centres and school clubs, centres for leisure activities, language schools authorised to organise state language examinations, or basic art schools17); ¾ accommodation and catering for children, pupils and students (boarding houses – internáty, boarding homes – domovy mládeže, and school catering facilities); ¾ substitute family, protective and preventive educational care: it includes facilities for institutional and protective education which provide substitute family care (children’s homes – dětské domovy) as well as institutional and protective care (educational institutes – výchovné ústavy and children’s homes with a school) and diagnostic tasks for institutional and protective care (diagnostic institutes); and ¾ guidance facilities (educational and psychological guidance services – pedagogicko-psychologické poradny, or special educational centres – speciálně pedagogická centra).

3.7.1 Children and Pupils’ Care Outside School Hours The main task of the facilities that take care of children and pupils outside school hours is to develop their skills and knowledge, to enhance their interest in worthwhile matters, and to influence them positively in terms of education and involvement in the society. It further significantly functions as assistance for working parents in the care for the child. 17 These institutions are not considered as school facilities, but as schools. However, as they do not offer any further level of education, they are included in this section.

The development in the number of after-school care centres and school clubs, number of pupils attending them and their percentage in the corresponding school population in 2005/06 to 2007/08

Source: IIE

2005/06 4,065 215,707

2006/07 4,114 221,827

2007/08 4,101 228,135

Percentage in the number of pupils in 1st stage of basic schools

45.6 %

47.9 %

49.8 %

Number of school clubs Number of enrolled pupils

474 35,877

465 37,373

476 38,044

7.4 %

8.2 %

8.8 %

Number of after-school care centres Number of enrolled pupils

Percentage in the number of pupils in 2nd stage of basic schools and lower level of multi-year gymnázia

Table 24 Number of schools Number of pupils dance fine art literature and drama music of which girls dance fine art literature and drama music Number of leavers in previous school year of which girls including courses in

including courses in

The development in the number of basic art schools and number of pupils in invividual courses in 2005/06 to 2007/08

Source: IIE

2005/06 474 216,216 24,273 43,686 7,318 140,939 153,743 22,956 31,534 5,255 93,998 15,983 11,554

2006/07 476 218,822 25,574 44,632 7,446 141,170 155,358 24,073 32,212 5,284 93,789 15,667 11,358

2007/08 478 222,517 26,244 44,827 7,601 143,845 156,865 24,702 32,241 5,348 94,574 15,925 11,591

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 23

57

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

58

After-school care centres are primarily designed for pupils in the first stage of basic school. Pupils in the second stage of basic schools, pupils attending lower grades at 6-year or 8-year gymnázia or corresponding grades of 8-year educational programmes at conservatoires may also be accepted in the regular daily attendance if they are not accepted in a school club. After-school care centres provide educational, special interest and topical recreational activities, they offer spontaneous activities, and make use of leisure activities and preparation for classes. They are usually established directly at basic schools. In the given period, the number of after-school care centres decreased very slightly (to 4,101 in 2007/08). Despite unfavourable demographic situation, the number of pupils in after-school care centres increased (in 2007/08 there were 228,135 pupils). In relation to the number of all pupils in the first stage, their percentage has annually increased by about 2 percentage points and reached 49.8% in 2007/08. School clubs provide special interest education to pupils of one or more schools. The club activities are primarily directed at pupils in the second stage of basic schools, and pupils attending lower grades at 6-year or 8-year gymnázia or corresponding grades of 8-year educational programmes at conservatoires. Pupils in the first stage of basic school who were not accepted to attend after-school care centres may also be participants of the school club. Schools clubs provide educational, special interest and topical recreational activities, and they offer occasional and spontaneous activities. School clubs are usually established at basic schools or multi-year gymnázia but they may also exist as independent school facilities for special interest education. There was a slight increase in the number of school clubs in 2007/08: there were 476 school clubs. The number of pupils attending school clubs has been rising steadily (38,044 pupils attended school clubs in 2007/08). The annual increase in the number of pupils amounted to 671; the annual increase in the previous period was twice as big. The

percentage of pupils attending school clubs in the number of pupils in the second stage and corresponding grades of secondary schools increased from 7.4% in 2005/06 to 8.8% in 2007/08. Leisure time centres organise various regular or one-off activities and they fulfil an educational and recreational function. They include houses for children and youth (domy dětí a mládeže) with wide scope of activities in many interest fields and special activity stations (stanice zájmových činností) specializing in one specific interest activity. Their offer is directed at children, pupils and students of all age groups as well as parents or other applicants and it is very ample. Apart from regular special interest activities (special interest clubs, courses etc.), the centres also organise occasional activities including weekend projects (trips, lectures or discussions), holiday activities (camps or professional workshops), competitions, shows and various spontaneous activities. Activities directed at unemployed young people and antidrug policy programmes constitute a significant part of the activities organised by leisure centres. From 2005/06 to 2007/08 the number of centres slightly decreased from 301 to 296. The activities were provided by 11.7 thousand educational staff, of which 84% were external workers, and by a further 2,171 other staff. The number of members of these interest centres increased in the given period by 9,914 to the total number of 230,254 members. Basic art schools provide basic education in individual art fields (music, dance, art, and literature and drama). They may also prepare children for education at conservatoires and young people for studying at higher education institutions specialized in art. They have existed for over 60 years and from 1961 to 1990 they were established under the name people’s art schools (lidové školy umění). These schools organise education for pupils at the age of 5 to 18 years (1 to 2-year preparatory course, 6 to 7-year first stage of basic course, and 3 to 4-year second stage of basic course), extended courses of both stages and 4-year courses (at most) for adults. In the

Figure 12 School catering facilities – the percentage of pupils taking meals according to the type of school in 2005/06 to 2007/08

120 % 100 % 80 %

NSs 6 0% BSs 40 %

SSs

20 %

Conservatoires TPSs

0% 2005/06

Source: IIE

2006/07

2007/08

Number of pupils in 1-year foreign language courses in full-time study in accordance with the regulation No. 322/2005 Coll.

20,990

35

35

33

20,000

Number of pupils who passed the state language examination last year

17,849

30 15,000

14,579

25 10,000 20 6,107

5,000

3,366

6,087 2,304

5,373 2,139

0

Number of schools (only language schools authorised to organise state language examinations) Source: IIE

40 37

15 10

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Number of pupils

25,000

Number of pupils

Language schools authorised to organise state language examinations – the number of schools, pupils, number of pupils in 1-year courses in 2005/06 to 2006/07

Number of schools authorised to organise state language examination

Figure 13

59

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

60

past three years, no significant change may be observed in the development of basic art schools. The number of basic art schools in 2007/08 amounted to 478 and 738 branches. The number of schools is more or less the same while the number of pupils increases by over 1% per year (222,517 pupils were educated there in 2007/08). Traditionally there is a high percentage of girls at basic art schools (approximately 70%). Most pupils attend music courses (approximately 65% of pupils), fine art courses (approximately 20%), dance courses (approximately 12%), and literature and drama courses (approximately 3% of pupils). In terms of gender, the representation of pupils in art courses and literature and drama courses is more or less the same, in dance and music courses, on the other hand, the gender representation is not equal (girls were more inclined towards dance courses while boys were more inclined towards music courses). In total, there were 15,925 leavers from basic art schools in 2006/07. The provided figures do not include information about courses for adults. Language schools authorised to organise state language examination provide foreign language education to children, youth and adults in courses at different levels of knowledge and with different focus. The education may be completed by a final state examination. Apart from public language schools, foreign language education is offered by a wide range of private language schools; information on their number and the number of enrolled students is unfortunately not available (except for 1-year foreign language courses in full-time study where the statistics is being followed). In 2007/08 there were 37 language schools authorised to organise state language examination which were attended by 14,579 pupils. Since 2005/06, the number of pupils attending language schools authorised to organise state language examination has decreased by over 6 thousand pupils. At the same time, the number of pupils who complete their education with state language examination has decreased (2,139 pupils in 2007/08). The number of pupils who

attend 1-year foreign language courses in full-time study (regulation No. 322/2005 Coll., as amended) has also decreased (more slowly though) from 6,107 pupils in 2005/06 to 5,373 pupils in 2007/08.

3.7.2 Catering and Accommodation for Basic and Secondary School Pupils School catering facilities at nursery, basic, secondary and tertiary professional schools and at schools for pupils with special educational needs provide catering for children, pupils, students and school staff. These facilities exist either directly at schools or boarding homes or are independent. Apart from providing catering to pupils and teachers, the facilities may offer catering to other persons on a commercial basis. In 2007/08 the number of school catering facilities increased by 70 in comparison with the school year 2006/07 (the current number amounts to 9,212). Since the school year 2002/03, the number of children, pupils and students using the services of these facilities has decreased by 92 thousand pupils; between the school years 2006/07 and 2007/08, however, there was no such significant decrease (amounting to 2.7 thousand pupils). In 2007/08, 1,271 thousand pupils took meals in school canteens. The percentage of pupils eating in school canteens in the total number of pupils amounted to 98% in nursery schools, 83% at basic schools and 47% at secondary schools and tertiary professional schools. Boarding homes provide for whole-week accommodation of pupils and students at secondary and tertiary professional schools and conservatoires and thus enable education to those pupils who want to attend a school which is distant from their place of residence. School canteens are usually part of the hostels and apart from accommodation and catering these facilities also offer other services and activities to the accommodated pupils (leisure time activities). After the increase in their number, in 2006/07 the number of school hostels decreased to 479. Over the whole period, the number of accommodated

School catering facities in 2005/06 to 2007/08

Number of facilities Total number of children, pupils and students taking meals of which NSs, preparatory stage, preparatory classes of which BSs of which SSs of which conservatoires of which TPSs of which school facilities for institutional and protective education Number of others taking regular meals of which school and school facilities staff Total number of persons taking regular meals

Source: IIE

2005/06 9,026 1,296,732 287,834 700,868 293,842 2,768 9,533

2006/07 9,164 1,273,391 286,489 679,751 293,833 2,362 9,043

2007/08 9,212 1,270,649 292,704 667,810 298,046 2,373 8,897

1,867

1,913

819

339,402 187,797 1,636,134

336,059 184,670 1,609,450

341,104 185,139 1,611,753

Figure 14

Accommodated pupils attending SSs, conservatoires and TPSs Percent of accommodated pupils in the total number of pupils in the full-time education Source: IIE

569,242

567,822

9.6%

559,646

9.4 %

9.4%

500,000 9.2 %

9.2%

400,000

9.0% 300,000 8.7 %

200,000 100,000

8.8% 8.6%

53,640

52,039

48,844

0

8.4% 8.2%

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Percent of accommodated pupils

Pupils at SSs, conservatoires and TPSs in the day form of education

600,000 Number of accommodated pupils

Boarding homes – the number of accommodated pupils and their percentage in the total number of pupils in the full-time education at secondary schools, conservatoires and TPSs in 2005/06 to 2007/08

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 25

61

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

62

pupils has been decreasing (there were 48,916 pupils18 in 2007/08). The percentage of accommodated pupils in the total number of pupils in the full-time form of education at secondary and tertiary professional schools and conservatoires has decreased (from 9.4% in 2005/06 to 8.7% in 2007/08). Apart from school hostels, there are further accommodation establishments, boarding houses, which primarily accommodate pupils attending schools for pupils with special educational needs. The number of these establishments and accommodated pupils has decreased: in 2007/08 there were 88 boarding houses which accommodated 3,348 children, pupils and students.

3.7.3 School Facilities for Institutional and Protective Education and Preventive Educational Care The purpose of the school facilities for preventive educational care is to try avoid the emergence and development of negative behaviour in children and youths or disturbance in their healthy development, to mitigate or remove the causes or consequences of the already existing behaviour disorders, and to contribute to children and youths’ healthy personality development. Special educational and psychological services of this type are provided by centres for educational care (střediska výchovné péče) and by diagnostic institutes. School facilities for institutional and protective education and for preventive educational care are intended for children and youths at the age of 3 to 18 years whom they protect from the adverse influence of non-functional family or other socially adverse environments, and thus provide for sustenance and care which would under normal circumstances be provided by their families. The mentioned services are provided by diagnostic institutes, children’s homes, children’s homes with a school and 18 In 2007/08, 48,916 pupils in total were accommodated in boarding homes of which 72 pupils attended basic schools.

educational institutes (výchovné ústavy). Children may be placed in these establishments on the basis of a court decision as well as upon the parents’ request or upon the request of a child’s legal representatives. Diagnostic institutes (diagnostické ústavy) are establishments that accept children on the basis of results from a complete examination from the viewpoint of psychology, special education and health care. On the basis of the available capacity of individual establishments, they allocate the children to children’s homes, children’s homes with a school or to educational institutions. In specific cases when required by the interests of the child, the child may be placed outside the establishment to a contractual family. The stay of the child in such a facility usually takes 8 weeks. Diagnostic institutes may also extend their care to children whose placement due to their behaviour disorders was required by persons responsible for their upbringing; for a necessary period of time, to children with ordered institutional education; with imposed protective education, those who were captured on the run from other establishments or from their place of residence or temporary residence. As a part of the diagnostic institute, diagnostic classes providing for the preparation of children for their future vocation are established for children who have completed their compulsory school attendance. The educational group consisting of at least 4, and at most 6, children is the basic organisational unit for work with children at diagnostic institutes. Diagnostic institutes mainly fulfil the following tasks: ¾ diagnostic tasks consisting in the examination of children by means of educational and psychological activities; ¾ educational tasks, within the framework of which the level of achieved knowledge and skill is determined, specific educational needs are specified and implemented in the interest of the development of the children’s personality in a manner adequate to their age, individual prerequisites and competences;

Children’s homes with a school are intended for children with significant behaviour disorders. It is the purpose of these facilities to provide care for children with ordered institutional education with significant behaviour disorders or for children requiring special educational care and health care because of their temporary or permanent mental disorders. Children with imposed protective education are also placed into children’s homes with a school. Further, minor mothers fulfilling the terms for placement to a children’s home with a school and their children who cannot be educated at a school which is not a part of a children’s home with a school are also placed here. Generally children from the age of 6 years until the completion of compulsory school attendance may be placed to children’s homes with a school. Should the reasons for the placement of a child to a school established at a children’s home cease in the course of compulsory school attendance, the child will be placed into a school which is not part of the institutional facilities, in accordance with the applicable legal regulation.19 Should the child after the completion of the compulsory school attendance fail to be able to continue his/her education at a secondary school outside the establishment for the reason of continuing serious behaviour disorder, or to conclude an employment relationship, he/she shall be placed into an educational establishment. As in children’s homes, a family group consisting of at least 5, and at most 8, children, of often various ages and sexes, forms the basic organisational unit in children’s homes with a school. There may be at least 2, and at most 6, family groups in a children’s home with a school. Educational institutes take care of children over 15 years of age with serious behaviour disorders who 19 See Section 13, Par. 5, of Act No. 109/2002 Coll., on Institutional Education or Protective Education in School Provisions and on Preventive Educational Care and on the Amendment of Other Acts, as amended.

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

¾ therapeutic tasks aimed at remedying the disturbances in social relations and behaviour of the children by means of educational and psychological activities; ¾ educational and social tasks related to the personality of the children, their family situation and necessary social and legal protection; ¾ provision for the health examination of children; ¾ organisational tasks related to the placement of children to establishments within the catchment area of the diagnostic institute specified by the ministry, or, as the case may be, outside its jurisdiction; ¾ cooperation with the authorities in the field of social and legal protection in the preparation of motions for the imposition of preliminary injunctions to be served in a diagnostic institution; and ¾ coordination tasks aimed at the perfection and unification of specialist procedures of other establishments within the catchment are of the diagnostic institute, at the verification of their effectiveness and unification of cooperation with public administration authorities and with other persons active in the field of care for children. Care for children and youths who, for various reasons, do not have the chance to grow up in their own families or in substitute family care and who do not have any serious behaviour disorders, is provided by children’s homes. The children placed in the children’s homes are educated in normal schools. In relation to the children, the children’s homes fulfil mainly educational and social roles. Children with ordered institutional education mainly from 3 until at the maximum 18 years may be placed in children’s homes. Children’s homes also extend care to minor mothers together with their children. A family group consisting of at least 6, and at most 8, children forms the basic organisational unit in children’s homes. There may be at least 2, and at most 6, family groups in a children’s home, and the children are sorted into groups with regard to their educational and health care needs.

63

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

64

were ordered or who were imposed protective education. Educational institutes are established separately for children with ordered institutional education and children with imposed protective education, or as educational institutes or educational groups for minor mothers and their children and children requiring educational care and health care. Children above the age of 12 years who have been imposed protective education and whose behaviour displays disorders so serious that they cannot be placed into a children’s home with a school, may be placed into an educational institute. In the case of especially serious behaviour disorders, children above the age of 12 years who have been ordered into institutional education may, exceptionally, be placed into these facilities too. Basic, special or secondary schools are established alongside educational institutes as their part. Centres for educational care provide special educational and psychological services to children with the risk or display of behaviour disorders and negative elements in social development as well as to children released from institutional education in the course of their integration into the society. This care is aimed at the removal or moderation of already arisen behaviour disorders and at the prevention of further and more serious educational disorders and negative elements in the social development of the children, as long as there has not been any reason for their placement into institutional education or the imposition of protective education. A similar educational care is also provided by diagnostic institutes. The centres mainly provide consultations, specialist information and aid to persons responsible for the upbringing and education of children. Apart form that, the centres also cooperate with educational and psychological guidance service, and, in case of children with disabilities, also with special educational centres, further with school prevention specialists and with authorities active in the prevention of socially pathological phenomena and drug addiction. The centres for preventive educational care may also provide their

services for a remuneration (its amount and means of payment are set forth by the Decree of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports No. 21/2007, on the Activity of Centres for Educational Care). On June 29, 2007, the Decree of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports No. 21/2007, on the Activity of Centres for Educational Care, and the Methodological Instruction Specifying the Detailed Terms of the Activity of Centres for Educational Care ref. No 14 744/2007-24 have come into force. It is the purpose of both documents, published in the No. 9/2007 of the Bulletin of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, to further increase the quality of the care provided, to modernize and to individualize it. The number of all types of educational facilities between the school years 2006/07 and 2007/08 was stagnating. In 2007/08 there were 230 facilities for institutional and protective education in the Czech Republic of which the majority (155) included children’s homes. There were 33 educational institutes, 28 children’s homes with a school and 14 diagnostic institutes. The total number of children placed in establishments for institutional and protective education stagnated; last year the number of children placed in children’s homes decreased (amounting to 4,618 children which constitutes a decrease by 200 children) along with the number of children placed in children’s homes with a school (amounting to 674, decrease by approximately 50 children). On the other hand, the number of children in diagnostic institutes increased (amounting to 705 children, increase by approximately 200 children). The number of children in educational institutes was basically the same in the school years 2006/07 and 2007/08 (amounting to 1,430 children, increase by 26 children). There are 17 centres for educational care in the Czech Republic. In 2006/07 they took care of 8,965 clients which was 78 more than in the previous school year. Of the total number of clients, the centres assisted 197 clients from nursery schools, 6,634 from basic schools, 1,971 from secondary schools, 7 from conservatoires, and 156 clients did not attend any

Children in children’s homes Facilities for institutional and protective care

7.5

7.6

7.0

231

7.4

230

229

6.0 4.9

5.0

4.8

4.6

227 226 3.0 2.0

225

225

224

1.0

223 222 2005/06

2006/07

Table 26 The structure of children in educational facilities in 2005/06 to 2007/08 Source: IIE

228

4.0

0 Source: IIE

230

229

Children before starting compulsory school attendance Children fulfilling compulsory school attendance Young people after completing compulsory school attendance

2007/08

2005/06 415 4,152 3,054

2006/07 411 4,108 2,940

2007/08 384 4,097 2,946

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Children in all establishments

8.0 Number of children (in thousands)

The development in the number of school facilities for institutional and protective care and children educated in them (in thousands) in 2005/06 to 2007/08

Number of educational establishments

Figure 15

65

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

66

school. The clients were mostly provided with outpatient treatment (7,926); inpatient treatment was provided by 12 centres for educational care to 996 clients; and wholeday treatment was provided by only 2 centres to 43 clients. The increase in the number of clients between the school years 2005/06 to 2006/07 was reflected in the increase in the total number as well as in individual types of care. In terms of the impulse given to the clients to visit the centre for educational care, in 2006/07 most clients came on the basis of the impulse from their families (3,740, in 2005/06 this number amounted to 3,183), further from the initiative of an authority for social and legal protection of children (1,946, in 2005/06 1,647 in total), and the school initiated the coming of clients in 1,703 cases (in 2005/06 in 1,490 cases). In 2006/07, 538 clients came from their own initiative

which is a significantly lower number than in 2005/06 (1,442 clients). Medical institution initiated a client to come in both years in the same amount of cases (217) and some other impulse was given to the clients in 271 cases (in 409 cases in 2005/06). The most frequent reasons for a client to come to the centre were school problems (in 3,236 cases, in 2005/06 in 3,252 cases in total). Clients further came with family problems (2,304 clients in 2006/07, 2,423 clients in 2005/06). In 2006/07, 1,871 clients in total sought treatment in the centre due to personality problems (in 2005/06 it concerned 1,360 clients). Due to pre-criminal and criminal problems, the care was provided to 1,065 clients, in 2005/06 to 1,437 in total. The abuse of addictives caused 422 clients to come (395 clients in 2005/06) and 67 clients came due to other reasons (in 2005/06 it concerned 20 clients).

4 Higher Education

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

68

4.1 Czech Higher Education in European Space The so-called Bologna process presents the development action plan for the Czech Republic and for other participating countries. The process aims at creating a European Higher Education Area by 2010. The main feature for the fulfilment of the Bologna Declaration is the division of higher education into three comprehensive and comparable stages of education: Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Doctoral degree. This division and the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) or the Diploma Supplement (issued bilingually, free of charge, and automatically) were successfully implemented in the Czech higher education system. The European Credit Transfer System became an instrument for measuring study load and supporting universal student mobility by means of which it satisfied the requirement for transferability to other forms of education and supported European cooperation in maintaining the quality of higher education and competitiveness of graduates from European higher education institutions on the national, European and global labour market. The Diploma Supplement contains a description of the national system, the position of higher education institutions, the study programme and the gained competences. The document eases access to studies or jobs abroad for graduates. Currently, many higher education institutions make an effort to receive the Diploma Supplement Label and ECTS Label. On the basis of the European Qualifications Framework adopted at the Bergen Conference of Ministers (2005), the first cycle (Bachelor’s) takes 3 to 4 years (i.e. students receive 180 to 240 ECTS credits) and similarly as other cycles mentioned further, it leads to a higher education diploma. The second cycle, Master’s, usually takes from 1.5 to 2 years, and exceptionally it may take 1 year (i.e. students receive 90 to 120 ECTS credits, in exceptional cases 60 ECTS credits at least). The standard length of the third, doctoral, cycle is 3 to 4 years (it is not expressed in terms of ECTS credits so far).

The European cooperation connected with maintaining the quality of higher education (setting comparable criteria and methodology) and the support of cooperation in defining the curricula correspond to European traditions and needs, make Europe more attractive for students, and enhance the attractiveness and competitiveness of both the education system and graduates from European higher education institutions on the labour market. The Ministers of the participating countries decided that the Bologna process, being the biggest reform in the European context since the 1970s, needs continuous support and adjustment corresponding with real development. Therefore, the Ministers meet every two years in one of the participating countries. Currently, 46 countries participate in the Bologna process. In the last meeting held in May 2007 in London, it was agreed to establish a European Register for agencies providing for the quality in higher education which should accept applications from September 2008. In the course of implementation of the process, the countries decided to focus on the issues of social justice, transferability of the systems, recognition of previous education (formal as well as informal), establishment of transparent national qualifications frameworks which would further develop into a qualifications framework for the European Higher Education Area as well as a qualifications framework for life-long learning, which is being currently discussed in the European Union, and the like. The principal European reforms still focus on the three-stage higher education, quality assurance, and recognition of qualifications and parts of studies. It is expected that in 2009, individual states shall submit reports on what has been undertaken in order to remove obstacles to fulfil the social dimension of the process. The EU educational programmes in particular, and eventually some regional programmes or bilateral cooperation, were very important instruments for supporting student and teacher mobility as well as further international cooperation.

Youth and Sports in 2007: a programme supporting the development of internationalisation; a programme supporting the enhancement of quality and efficiency of management in public higher education institutions; a programme improving the quality assurance of activities realised in higher education institutions; a programme supporting the development and innovation of study programmes; a programme supporting the development and innovation of study programmes for the education of educational staff, teachers in particular, and study programmes for continuing education of educational staff; a programme aimed at the preparation and development of human resources; programme supporting the formation of common structures between the higher education institutions and consumer sphere; a programme developing appliance equipment and modern technologies; programmes supporting the cooperation between the higher education institutions and regional education institutions; a programme supporting equal opportunities for access to and study at higher education institutions including the development of guidance services; and a programme supporting the removal of weaknesses and the enhancement of strengths for a higher education institution.

4.2 System of Higher Education in the Czech Republic In 2007, there were 68 higher education institutions (HEIs)20 carrying out their educational activities, out of which 26 were public. The system of higher education institutions is further supplemented by two state higher education institutions. Most public higher education institutions (24), one private and both state higher education institutions are university institutions. All 20 The report does not include private higher education institution M. Ondříček’s Film Academy because they did not submit their data to SIMS (United Information on Students Registries).

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

The main aims and principles of higher education in the Czech Republic are primarily defined in the LongTerm Policy Plan of Educational, Scientific, Research and Development, Artistic or Further Creative Activities of Higher Education Institutions elaborated by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and in long-term policy plans of individual higher education institutions and in their annually updated versions. The main priorities of the updated version of the Long-Term Policy Plan drawn by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports for 2007 were the following: further enhancement of competitiveness of higher education institutions and their internationalisation; concentration and development of human as well as technical and technological potentials; development and application of innovation potential in research, development and creative activities; and consequent application of the results of evaluations and enhancement of the responsibilities of higher education institutions for the efficient use of financial resources as well as for the quality of academic activities, the results of which influence the development and competitiveness of the region. Development programmes organized by the Ministry of Education. Youth and Sports with the purpose of motivating public higher education institutions to remove weaknesses and enhance the strengths have been an effective instrument for particular support since 2002. Thanks to the correspondence of the Long-Term Policy Plans of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the plans of individual higher education institutions, these programmes facilitated financial support of the transformation of the traditionally “long” Master’s study programmes into two cycles, Bachelor’s and Master’s; better transferability in tertiary education, primarily by establishing cooperation between higher education institutions and tertiary professional schools; the implementation of the credit system ECTS; and providing Diploma Supplement to all graduates from higher education institutions. The following development programmes were announced and supported by the Ministry of Education,

69

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

70

the other private higher education institutions and two public are non-university higher education institutions which are not divided into faculties. In 2004, the College of Polytechnics in Jihlava (Vysoká škola polytechnická Jihlava) was established (1,527 students in 2007/08), and in 2006, the Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice (Vysoká škola technická a ekonomická v Českých Budějovicích) was established, being the second public higher education institution of a non-university type. There were 324 students registered in the Institute in 2007/08. In 2007/08 academic year (as of December 31, 2007), there were 344,180 students in total studying at public and private higher education institutions. There were 4,005 studies realised at state higher education institutions. In 2005/06, 265,460 students attended public higher education institutions; in 2006/07 their number increased to 285,111 students; and in 2007/08 it constituted 303,731 students. The number of students at private higher education institutions in 2005/06 amounted to 24,654 in total; in 2006/07 it increased to 31,698 students; and in 2007/08, 40,939 students studied at private higher education institutions. The increase in the total number of students attending public higher education institutions amounted to 6.5% in 2007/08 in comparison with the previous academic year, while the increase in 2006/07 was almost 7.5%. The yearly increase in the number of students attending private HEI amounted to 29%. The difference between the total number of studies (355,537) and registered number of students in 2007/08 (344,180) shows that part of the students studied in more than one study programme. In 2006/07, the total number of studies amounted to 326,415, and there were 316,456 students. The current distribution of students according to the type of study programme is as follows: 207,889 students in Bachelor’s study programmes, 65,491 students in Master’s study programmes, 51,285 students in consecutive Master’s study programmes, and 24,131 students in doctoral study programmes. In total, 250,269 students were enrolled

in full-time study and 97,283 in distance and combined studies. The increase in the number of students primarily concerned Bachelor’s study programmes. The average annual increase in the absolute number of students enrolled at higher education institutions in the Czech Republic for the first time amounted to 8 to 10% in the past five years. However, with regard to the demographic decrease, the average increase in the percentage of students enrolled at higher education institutions out of the given population group amounted to 11% per year in the same period. In 2007/08 academic year, the percentage of students enrolled for the first time in tertiary education was around 64 to 65% of the population of the given age. In the past ten years, the number of applicants and admitted students increased significantly. At the same time, the probability of being admitted increased as well. In total, 146.8 thousand candidates applied to study at public and private higher education institutions in 2007 and they submitted altogether almost 324 thousand applications (the highest number of applications were submitted in the following fields of study: engineering, economics, humanities and social sciences, and education). Of the applicants, 92.1% or 135.2 thousand students took the entrance examinations. In total, 97.2 thousand applicants (71.9%) were admitted to study at higher education institutions. The vast majority of candidates (92.3%) applied for studies at public higher education institutions of which 67.6% were successful. At private higher education institutions, 93.9% of applicants who took the entrance examinations were successful. As may be observed from the aforementioned, the number of applicants for study has continuously increased. In comparison with 2006/07, the total number of students admitted to study at higher education institutions increased by 5.6%. The “fresh” graduates from the secondary schools formed 44.8% of the total number of applicants, 51.6% of all admitted students, and 52.5% of all enrolled applicants. Their success rate amounted to

Figure 16 400,000

Public and private higher education institutions – the numbers of students, students enrolled for the first time and graduates in 2005 to 2007 Number of students of which

350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000

Bachelor’s Master’s Master’s consecutive Doctoral

100,000 50,000 0 90,000 80,000

Number of students enrolled for the first time of which

50,000 40,000

Bachelor’s

30,000

Master’s

20,000

Master’s consecutive

10,000

Doctoral

0 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000

Number of graduates (in calendar year) of which

Bachelor’s

30,000 20,000

Master’s Master’s consecutive Doctoral Source: IIE

10,000 0 2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

70,000 60,000

71

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

72

75%. The significant increase in the number of students entering tertiary education in the last fifteen years, however, did not mitigate the inequalities nor did it remove the barriers in access to tertiary education. The number of foreigners attending Czech higher education institutions has also increased significantly. In 2005/06, their number of 21 thousand amounted to 7.2% of all students, in 2006/07 it was 7.6%, and in 2007/08 they formed 8% of students (27,580). This increase is probably due to the gradual development of international cooperation among higher education institutions, not only by admitting foreigners within development aid projects, but primarily on the basis of entry into bilateral agreements or within the support of members of expatriate communities and other programmes in which the government of the Czech Republic undertook to settle the expenses for residence and study through scholarships. Foreigners study at our higher education institutions under the same conditions as Czech students (if they study in Czech language, the study is free of charge; if they study in foreign language, they pay the same fee as the Czech students), and therefore our HEIs are attractive primarily for Slovakian students. After 2001, the majority of study programmes were gradually transformed in accordance with the requirements of the Bologna process from so-called long Master’s study programmes (four to five years) into shorter Bachelor’s study programmes (generally three years) and consecutive Master’s study programmes (generally two years). There are exceptions in cases where it is required by the nature of the study programme, and the standard length of study then amounts to four or six years at most (some fields in medicine, pharmacy and law). When comparing the fields of study in higher education institutions, there is still a higher number of students attending programmes in engineering, followed by study programmes in economics, humanities and education. A number of higher education institutions consult with their partners actively in the given field

regarding the potential demands of the labour market and adjust the offered study programmes according to these consultations. The situation is different in individual fields according to the opportunities for direct cooperation with the future employers. Some universities have their own enterprises designed to provide practical training (among other things). The practical training for students of higher education institutions underwent a complicated development in which the system of practical training as part of a study programme was stabilised primarily in the fields of education, medicine, natural science and engineering. The trainings were carefully planned, included in study schemes, and organised in advance with partners in the profession (guarantees, expert level of knowledge and supervision, students’ assessment). The practical training naturally stimulated interest in working in the field, specific theses and employment. Generally, it may be said that the unemployment rate of graduates from higher education institutions is significantly lower in comparison with graduates from other types of schools, and they do not belong to endangered groups in the labour market. In 2007, life-long learning was further being developed and higher education institutions continued offering these courses either free of charge or for a fee. These life-long learning courses, for example, included the offer for study which may be recognized as part of study in accredited study programmes, namely study aimed at attaining or extending pedagogical qualification. In a long-term perspective, there has been a continued increase in the number of study programmes accredited in the combined form of education which presents an alternative to fulltime education and enables study while maintaining participation in the job market, society and the family. There are only two accredited study programmes in the distance form of education: the University of Ostrava offers an accredited Bachelor’s study programme in Applied Computer Science and the Technical University of Ostrava offers a consecutive Master’s study programme in Quantitative Methods in Economics.

The number of students in total, enrolled for the first time and graduates from public and private higher education institutions in 2005 to 2007

Note: As of December 31 of the corresponding year. Source: IIE

Public and private higher education institutions Number of institutions Number of students of which Bachelor’s Master’s Master’s consecutive doctoral Number of students enrolled for the first time of which Bachelor’s Master’s Master’s consecutive doctoral Number of graduates (in calendar year) of which Bachelor’s Master’s Master’s consecutive doctoral

2005/06 64 289,838 155,096 93,576 24,085 22,403 68,254 64,210 13,032 13,240 4,764 44,335 18,268 19,063 5,161 1,954

2006/07 63 316,456 183,313 79,572 35,968 23,397 73,226 69,600 10,925 20,501 5,105 53,458 25,083 19,401 7,089 2,071

2007/08 68 344,180 209,345 65,545 51,588 24,194 78,064 76,410 8,257 28,178 5,239 63,473 32,747 17,890 10,736 2,231

Table 28 Overview of admission proceedings according to the type of study programmes in 2005/06–2007/08 Study programmes Full-time study Number of applications Number of applicants Number of applications from applicants who participated in admission proceedings Number of applicants who participated in admission proceedings Number of admitted students Number of enrolled students Distance and combined study Number of applications Number of applicants Number of applications from applicants who participated in admission proceedings Number of applicants who participated in admission proceedings Number of admitted students Number of enrolled students

2005/06 Bachelor’s Master’s 176,307 64,595 81,173 34,629 149,650 54,598 75,059 31,024 52,791 14,332 47,566 11,963 Bachelor’s Master’s 49,763 4,093 39,925 3,723 41,061 3,438 34,230 3,156 18,092 1,195 16,957 1,118

2006/07 Bachelor’s Master’s 190,932 52,919 87,073 28,873 161,784 44,867 80,757 26,020 59,987 11,735 54,815 9,748 Bachelor’s Master’s 54,848 4,635 44,830 4,123 46,386 3,918 39,358 3,544 22,683 1,174 21,263 1,098

2007/08 Bachelor’s Master’s 211,451 42,647 92,462 23,151 179,506 36,070 86,167 20,645 65,711 8,152 60,062 6,771 Bachelor’s Master’s 66,566 3,040 52,879 2,721 56,260 2,592 46,540 2,365 28,066 993 26,416 893

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 27

Source: IIE

73

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

74

The University of the Third Age for people at a postproductive age may also be included in life-long learning. In 2007, 43.7 thousand students attended courses of life-long learning at higher education institutions. All activities of public and private higher education institutions within life-long learning activities support the model of a learning society and open the possibility to extend the previously attained education. The number of students enrolled for the first time at public and private higher education institutions (i.e. those who have never studied at higher education institutions before) continues to increase. The total number of students enrolled for the first time at public and private higher education institutions (the number of first enrolments at HEI in Bachelor’s and in 4 to 6-year Master’s study programmes) amounted to 78.1 thousand students. There were 76.4 thousand students enrolled for their first time in Bachelor’s study programmes, 28.2 thousand students in consecutive Master’s study programmes, 8.3 thousand students in Master’s study programmes, and 5.3 thousand students in doctoral studies. In 2007, 63.5 thousand students graduated from higher education institutions. The increase in the number of graduates from Bachelor’s study programmes may be traced to this figure. Let the numbers of graduates be compared: in 2006, the number of Bachelor graduates amounted to 25.1 thousand students and in 2007 to 32.7 thousand students; consecutive Master’s study programmes were completed by 7.1 thousand students and already by more than 10.7 thousand in 2007; Master’s study programmes were completed by 19.4 thousand graduates in 2006 and by 17.9 thousand graduates in 2007; and 2.1 thousand students graduated from doctoral programmes in 2006 and more than 2.2 thousand students in 2007. Apart from the fields with “Bachelor to Master” structure, there are also “long Master’s” programmes. These include primarily medicine, veterinary medicine and architecture. (They are usually longer and the study normally takes six years.)

4.2.1 Private Higher Education Institutions The Higher Education Act of 1998 enables the establishment of private higher education institutions and thus contributes to the diversification and broadening of higher education opportunities in the Czech Republic. The first private higher education institutions began to be established in 1999. After a period of a swift increase in the number of these institutions from 2000 to 2003, a period of stabilisation came in which private higher education institutions concentrated on building a stable structure of material, technical and personnel background as well as on stabilising the number of students in study programmes. In 2007, there were 46 private higher education institutions in the Czech Republic, of which 43 institutions actually provided study programmes. Nonetheless, further requests for granting the state permission for the establishment of a new private higher education institution are still being filed. In 2007, eight such requests were submitted, of which the state permission was granted to three applicants. The remaining five were not granted permission by the Accreditation Commission, generally due to insufficient personnel capacities of the submitted programmes. The Accreditation Commission handled 119 applications from 1999 (i.e. from the starting point of establishing private higher education institutions) until the end of 2007. The permission was granted in 46 cases. While 8,534 students studied at private higher education institutions at the end of 2002, one year later it was 13,186 students, in 2005/06 24,645 students, in 2006/07 the number of students amounted to 31,698 students, and in 2007/08 there were 40,939 students who carried out 41,172 studies. Most students attend Jan Amos Komensky University Prague (Univerzita Jana Amose Komenského s. r. o.; 6,792 students), the Banking Institute/College of Banking (Bankovní institut vysoká škola, a. s.; 4,834 students), and the Institute of Finance and Administration (Vysoká škola finanční a správní, o. p. s.; 4,731).

Figure17 Overview of admission proceedings according to the type of study programmes in 2005/06 to 2007/08

Full-time study 200,000

150,000

Number of applications

100,000

Number of applicants 50,000 Number of applications from applicants who participated in admission proceedings Number of applicants who participated in admission proceedings

0 Distance and combined study 70,000

50,000 Number of enrolled students 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Bachelor’s Source: IIE

Master’s

Bachelor’s

Master’s

Bachelor’s

2006/07

2005/06

Master’s

2007/08

Table 29 The number of applicants, students taking entrance examinations, students admitted and enrolled at HEIs in 2005/06 to 2007/08 (in thousands) Public and private higher education institutions Number of applicants Number of applicants who participated in admission proceedings Number of admitted persons Number of enrolled persons Success rate in %

2005/06 130.9 119.7 80.0 76.2 61.1

Note: The figures concern applicants for Bachelor’s and Master’s study programmes with Czech nationality. Source: IIE

2006/07 137.8 127.1 89.1 85.5 64.7

Inx07/06 1.053 1.062 1.114 1.122 1.058

2007/08 146.8 135.2 97.2 92.7 66.2

Inx08/07 1.065 1.064 1.091 1.084 1.024

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

60,000 Number of admitted students

75

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

76

As the number of students increases, so does the number of graduates. In 2002, there were 359 graduates from private higher education institutions; 3,038 graduates from 24 private higher education institutions in 2005; and in 2007 there were 6,849 graduates. In the year 2007, the graduates came from 33 private higher education institutions and most of them graduated from Jan Amos Komensky University Prague (1,697), the Institute of Finance and Administration (1,096), and Banking Institute/College of Banking (937). In most cases, the students graduated from Bachelor’s study programmes; however, there have also been graduates from Master’s study programmes (37) of which a significantly lower number is accredited at private higher education institutions.

4.2.2 Admission Proceedings In total, 146.8 thousand candidates applied to study at public and private higher education institutions in 2007, of which 92.1% (135.2 thousand students) took the entrance examinations. In total, 97.2 thousand applicants (71.9%) were admitted to study at higher education institutions. The vast majority of candidates (92.3%) applied for studies at public higher education institutions, of which 67.6% were successful. At private higher education institutions, 93.9% of applicants who took the entrance examinations were successful. As may be observed from the aforementioned, the number of applicants for study has continuously increased. In comparison with 2006/07, the total number of students admitted to study at higher education institutions increased by 5.6%. It may be assumed that the students’ interest shall persist in the following years as well as the increase in the number of students admitted primarily to the first years of higher education institutions, should the budget allow it. Since 2002/03, a significant increase in the number of applicants (along with the number of students admitted and enrolled in education) has been registered in

Bachelor’s study programmes. This trend corresponds with the developmental tendency of the past years with the gradual implementation of a three-stage study structure. In the re-structured study programmes, the students first attend Bachelor’s study programmes and after completing them, may study in a Master’s programme or pursue a professional career. The figures demonstrate that higher education institutions provide Bachelor’s and consecutive Master’s study programmes in great extent (see above). The new study structure also contributes to a better vertical transferability in higher education. Women represent a greater percentage of applicants to higher education institutions (56.9%) and since 2005/06 academic year, they have also represented a greater part of admitted (52.6%) and enrolled (52.7%) students. Men, on the other hand, are more successful in admission proceedings (success rate of 79.5%) in comparison to women (success rate of 66.2%). The success rate is calculated as the number of admitted students divided by the total number of applicants who participated in admission proceedings. The vast majority of applicants for full-time study are 19 and 20-year-old students. In 2007, 19-year-olds formed 47.2% of students enrolled in fulltime study and the percentage of 20-year-olds amounted to 22.3%. The percentage of applicants over 25 years of age has been 6.6% for the past three years. The highest number of applications was submitted in the fields of engineering, economics, humanities and social sciences, and education.

4.2.3 Accommodation and Catering The accommodation and catering for students at public higher education institutions are provided in dormitories and student cafeterias. Both types of facilities are administered by the individual higher education institutions. Due to the unequal construction of dormitories, higher education institutions have very different options to accommodate their students, and

Figure 18 160.0

The number of applicants, students taking entrance examinations, students admitted and enrolled at HEIs in 2005/06 to 2007/08 (in thousands)

140.0

146.8 137.8

130.9

135.2 127.1

119.7

120.0 97.2

100.0

Number of applicants

80.0 76.2

80.0

Number of applicants who participated in admission proceedings

89.1 85.5

92.7

60.0 40.0

Number of admitted persons

20.0 Number of enrolled persons 0.0 2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Figure 19

Foreign accommodated students Other accommodated Percentage of accommodated students out of the total number of full-time students and foreigners

31.0

56,283

54,927

30.5

30.4 %

50,000 Number of students

Czech accommodated students

56,585

30.0 29.5

40,000

29.0

29.0 %

28.5

30,000

28.0 27.5

20,000 10,000

27.3 % 12,162

11,176

9,869 1,065

1,110

1,163

26.5 26.0 25.5

0 Source: IIE

27.0

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Percent of accommodated students

60,000

The accommodation in dormitories of higher education institutions in 2005/06 to 2007/08

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Note: The figures concern applicants for Bachelor’s and Master’s study programmes with Czech nationality. Source: IIE

77

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

78

the differences are marked not only among different cities but also among individual higher education institutions. With effectiveness as of October 1, 2005, subsidies provided to accommodation for students studying at higher education institutions were reformed, and instead of providing the subsidies to the dormitories, the subsidies have been provided as a direct contribution to students for accommodation. Since 2006, this subsidy may be provided to public as well as private higher education institutions. In relation to the Act No. 552/2005 Coll. taking legal force, the public higher education institutions have been provided with a transfer in the form of contribution for the mentioned purpose from 2006. Since October 2005, the contributions/subsidies have started to be allocated according to the number of studying students who fulfil given conditions. The price for accommodation in dormitories increased (it is no long partly covered by the subsidy), and the students receive a contribution for accommodation from the given educational institution. This situation is convenient primarily for students who receive the contribution and live in rented apartments. However, it is necessary to mention that though the demand for accommodation decreased in the past years, the dormitories are still unable to satisfy the demand and they have to reject applicants. The number of declined applications for accommodation in 2007/08 amounted to 2,780 (3,977 in 2006/07 which constitutes a decrease by almost 28%). The facilities providing accommodation for students shall be referred to as dormitories. This term is not legally defined. The number of students accommodated in dormitories was increasing until 2004/05. Beginning with 2005/06, however, the number of accommodated students started to decrease slightly (from 68.6 thousand students in 2006/7 to 68.3 thousand students in 2007/08). It may be assumed that the given decrease is connected with the abovementioned reform of subsidies provided for accommodation of students at higher education

institutions and is caused by a higher number of students using alternative ways of accommodation. At the same time, the percentage of students accommodated in dormitories out of the total number of students attending full-time study (currently 250.3 thousand students) has continuously decreased in the given period (currently 59.4 thousand Czech students, 12.2 thousand foreign students, and 1.2 thousand others), down to 27.3% in 2007/08. The catering for students at higher education institutions is provided for by student cafeterias. The term “cafeteria” is not quite precise because it is not clearly defined what should be understood by it. The facilities providing catering for students shall be referred to as cafeterias. The cafeterias at public higher education institutions are subsidised (the calculated subsidy is CZK 23 per meal) by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and the subsidies are reflected in the price of meals provided to students. The decision on prices of each meal lies therefore within the discretion of the higher education institution administering the cafeteria. However, regulations set forth that the price paid by students includes the prices for food. This part of the contribution to the higher education institution shall be specified by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports for all higher education institutions in a given period and for this purpose by using the same percentage as the percentage of students of the given higher education institution who meet the conditions for inclusion specified further, according to the information from the United Information on Students Registries (SIMS) by October 31 of the running academic year out of the total number of students at all higher education institutions who meet the conditions for inclusion. The cafeterias at higher education institutions also provide catering to the general public that pays the full price for the meals, excluding any contributions. The figures for 2007 state that altogether 10,564,711 servings of warm meals and 1,118,596 servings of cold meals were served to students.

5 Staff in Education

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

80

The most frequent issues for human resources in education are the remuneration of teachers and employment in education. In 2007, 273.6 thousand employees21 worked in education of which 234.9 thousand (85.9%) worked in regional education and 36.6 thousand (13.4%) in public higher education institutions (including staff working in dormitories, cafeterias, agricultural farms belonging to public higher education institutions – AF PHEIs, and forest farms belonging to public higher education institutions – FF PHEIs). The remaining 2.1 thousand (0.8%) were employed in public administration, service organisations directly managed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and in other state organisation unit (i.e. other state organisational units under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports). Most employees in education work directly in schools (if future references mention types of schools, it always concerns data including schools for pupils with SEN) and they either teach or provide for teaching. The percentage of these employees amounts to 77.9% of total employment in education. The percentage of support staff providing the background for children, pupils and students22 amounts to 21.3%, and 0.8% of employees work in school administration. In 2007, basic schools together with secondary schools, both types excluding schools for pupils with SEN, most contributed to the total employment rate in education (26.8% and 21.3% of the total employment rate in education, respectively). The total employment rate 21 The number of employees is indicated as an average number throughout the calendar year. 22 It includes catering (school canteens and cafeterias), accommodation (boarding homes and dormitories), extra-curricular activities (basic art schools, after-school care centres and school clubs, language schools authorised to organise state language examinations, school facilities for special interest courses – leisure time centres, outdoor schooling , other school facilities for special purposes), institutional education and preventive care, and guidance.

in education included employees in regional education, public higher education institutions including dormitories, cafeterias, AF PHEI and FF PHEI, service organisations directly managed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and in other state organisational departments. Academic staff, scientific staff, and non-educational staff constitute 96.2% of employees at public higher education institutions; 3.8% of employees work as support staff in dormitories and cafeterias and they participate in providing the background to students23. In further text, the data on staff in education and their average monthly salaries will be indicated excluding the data on public administration staff. In 2007, the total number of employees at public higher education institutions (including staff working in dormitories, cafeterias, AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs, research and development) increased by 0.9 thousand in comparison to 2006, which constitutes an increase by 2.6%. On the other hand, the total number of employees in regional education in 2007 decreased by 1.2 thousand employees, i.e. by 0.5%; the greatest decrease was at basic schools (excluding the number of basic schools for pupils with SEN) with a decrease of 0.8 thousand employees, i.e. by 1.1%. In the following text, the data on staff of public higher education institutions will be indicated excluding the data on employees in AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs. The average nominal monthly salary (including non-budgetary resources) in the educational sector in 2007 amounted to CZK 21,112. In regional education it amounted to CZK 19,842 and at public higher education institutions including dormitories, cafeterias, research and development, additional and other activities (excluding AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs) it amounted to CZK 29,254. The average monthly nominal salary in education increased in total by 6.3% from 2006 to 2007; in regional 23 It includes catering (cafeterias) and accommodation (dormitories).

Table 30 The average number of staff (FTE) according to the types of schools5) and public HEIs in 2005 to 2007

Nursery schools Basic schools Gymnázia and sports schools6) STSs and conservatoires2) SVSs including CPE SSs and conservatoires for pupils with SEN2) TPSs HEIs3)

30,896 83,512 13,268 22,577 22,215 3,817 2,273 34,410

2006 All founders1) 30,579 82,702 13,467 23,066 21,628 3,744 2,174 35,598

2007 30,885 82,023 13,691 23,383 21,065 3,541 2,076 36,528

2005 2006 2007 of which founded by MEYS, municipality or region4) 29,971 29,666 29,946 81,131 79,960 79,293 11,458 11,586 11,745 19,010 19,341 19,468 19,342 18,890 18,425 3,603 3,528 3,318 1,589 1,486 1,399 . . .

Notes: 1 Schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities, regions, including municipal schools, private and denominational schools; Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, Section 109, Par. 3 and Par. 2 (previously Act No. 143/1992 Coll., on Salary, and Act No. 1/1992 Coll., on Remuneration). 2 Since January 1, 2006, there has been a change in record-keeping. Previously, the data about conservatoires were recorded within secondary technical schools. In order to provide for homogenous time lines, the abovementioned data are calculated according to the original methodology. 3 Public higher education institutions including dormitories, cafeterias, and research and development (excluding AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs). 4 Schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities, regions, including municipal schools; Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, as amended, Section 109, Par. 3 (previously Act No. 143/92 Coll., on Salary). 5 The figures on NSs and BSs include schools for children (pupils) with SEN. 6 Sports schools are schools with extended physical education. Source: IIE

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

2005

81

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

82

education it increased by 5.6% and at higher education institutions by 8.3%. The average nominal monthly salary in regional education increased due to the increase of salary rate by modifying the terms of remuneration of staff in public services and administration, remunerated in accordance with the Section 109, Par. 3, of Act No. 262/2006 Coll., which was set forth by government regulation since January 1, 200724 and took effect in the overall increase in tariff table on all salary levels and in all salary rates. The increase in the monthly nominal salary in higher education was caused by a more efficient use of resources within the internal salary regulations of individual higher education institutions. The level of real salaries in education (i.e. the amount of salaries taking into account the inflation rate in individual years in the constant prices of 2005) increased in 2007 in comparison to 2006 by 3.4% overall, in regional education by 2.7% and in higher education by 5.3%. In comparison with the increase in the amount of the average salary in the Czech Republic in total, the real salaries of staff working in higher education grew more rapidly. In education in total as well as in regional education, the annual increase in the average nominal and real monthly salary was lower than in the Czech Republic in total, and at the same time was also lower than in the non-entrepreneurial sector. In higher education, on the other hand, the annual increase in the average nominal and real monthly salary in 2007 was higher than in the Czech Republic in total and at the same time it exceeded the salaries in the non-entrepreneurial sector. This situation in regional education was the result of the abovementioned government regulation. The situation in higher education was the result of a more efficient use of salary resources in individual higher education institutions. 24 Government Regulation No. 564/2006 Coll., on Terms of Remuneration of Staff in Public Services and Administration, as amended.

5.1 Staff in Regional Education 5.1.1 Employment in Regional Education Teachers constitute the greatest part of employees in regional education. In 2007, approximately 132.9 thousand teachers25 worked in regional education which constituted 56.6% of all employees in regional education. There were 124.5 thousand teachers at schools established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, a municipality or a region (teachers and employees paid from the state budget), i.e. 57.6% of employees in regional education (excluding private or denominational founders, and including employees paid only from the state budget). In the text as well as in the tables, if a municipality is indicated as a founder, it also includes voluntary unions of municipalities (VUMs). In 2007, the total number of staff in regional education decreased by 1.2 thousand persons (by 0.5%) in comparison to 2006 of which the number of teachers decreased by 0.9 thousand employees (by 0.7%). In the three-year period from 2005 to 2007, the number of employees in regional education working for all founders decreased by 3.2 thousand persons (by 1.3%), and the number of teachers went down by 4.8 thousand persons (by 3.5%). In 2007, the number of teachers at nursery schools including the nursery schools for children with SEN amounted to 22.8 thousand; there were 61.9 thousand teachers at basic schools including the basic schools for children with SEN; and 39.1 thousand teachers at secondary schools and conservatoires including secondary schools for pupils with SEN and conservatoires for disabled pupils (of which there were 11.0 thousand teachers at gymnázia including schools with extended physical education; 17.1 thousand teachers at secondary technical schools; 25 The number of teachers is calculated as an average number (FTE) throughout the whole calendar year. The category “teacher” also includes school heads and deputy heads if they teach.

Table 31 The average number (FTE) of teachers according to types of schools3)5) in 2005 to 2007

Nursery schools Basic schools Gymnázia and sports schools6) STSs and conservatoires2) SVSs including CPE SSs and conservatoires for pupils with SEN2) TPSs

22,843 63,782 10,652 17,427 11,079 2,423 1,647

2006 All founders1) 22,564 62,871 10,776 17,794 8,651 1,844 1,576

2007 22,765 61,933 10,960 17,976 8,493 1,685 1,500

2005 2006 2007 of which founded by MEYS, municipality or region4) 22,368 22,125 22,306 62,551 61,390 60,598 9,230 9,299 9,434 14,653 14,904 14,982 9,912 7,707 7,561 2,273 1,715 1,555 1,161 1,085 1,030

Notes: 1 Schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities, regions, including municipal schools, private and denominational schools; Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, Section 109, Par. 3 and Par. 2 (previously Act No. 143/1992 Coll., on Salary, and Act No. 1/1992 Coll., on Remuneration). 2 Since January 1, 2006, there has been a change in record-keeping. Previously, the data about conservatoires were recorded within secondary technical schools. In order to provide for homogenous time lines, the abovementioned data are calculated according to the original methodology. 3 Regional education according to the types of schools (including heads of schools and school facilities and deputy heads). 4 Schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities, regions, including municipal schools; Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, as amended, Section 109, Par. 3 (previously Act No. 143/92 Coll., on Salary). 5 The figures on NSs and BSs include schools for children (pupils) with SEN. 6 Sports schools are schools with extended physical education. Source: IIE

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

2005

83

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

84

8.5 thousand teachers at secondary vocational schools including centres for practical education; 0.9 thousand teachers at conservatoires including conservatoires for disabled pupils; and 1.6 thousand teachers at secondary schools for pupils with SEN). The number of teachers at tertiary professional schools amounted to 1.5 thousand. These data include schools established by all types of founders. In 2007, the number of teachers at schools established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities and regions (teachers paid from the state budget) amounted to the following figures in individual types of schools: 22.3 thousand teachers at nursery schools including nursery schools for children with SEN; 60.6 thousand teachers at basic schools including the basic schools for children with SEN; and 33.5 thousand teachers at secondary schools and conservatoires including secondary schools for pupils with SEN and conservatoires for disabled pupils (of which there were 9.4 thousand teachers at gymnázia including schools with extended physical education; 14.2 thousand teachers at secondary technical schools; 7.6 thousand teachers at secondary vocational schools including centres for practical education; 0.8 thousand teachers at conservatoires including conservatoires for disabled pupils; and 1.5 thousand teachers at secondary schools for pupils with SEN). The number of teachers of tertiary professional schools established by regions was 1.0 thousand. Apart from standard education teachers, there were 6.3 thousand teachers of vocational training (previously vocational training instructors) at secondary vocational schools including centres for practical education. The teachers of vocational training also worked at secondary schools for pupils with SEN (1.1 thousand) and at secondary technical schools (0.03 thousand). Their total number amounted to 7.4 thousand. As mentioned above, the average number of employees (FTE) in regional education (for all founders) decreased

in 2007 by 1.2 thousand employees (0.5%) in comparison with 2006. The decrease in the number of employees was influenced by the same factors as the development of the entire employment. The largest decrease in the years 2007 and 2006 may be observed at basic schools including the basic schools for pupils with SEN where the number of employees decreased by 0.7 thousand (0.8%) of which the number of teachers amounted to 0.9 thousand (1.5%). Moreover, this decrease is also caused by unfavourable demographic development and subsequent decrease in the number of pupils. The number of employees at secondary vocational schools including centres for practical education decreased by 0.6 thousand (2.6%) employees in relation to the decrease in the number of pupils. Secondary schools for pupils with SEN and conservatoires for disabled pupils registered a slight decrease in the average number of employees by 0.2 thousand (5.4%). The same applies to tertiary professional schools with a decrease by 0.1 thousand employees (4.5%). Nursery schools including the nursery schools for children with SEN, on the other hand, increased the average number of employees by 0.3 thousand (1%) in 2007 of which 0.2 thousand were teachers (0.9%). The development of a number of staff at nursery schools, primarily teachers, reflects the increase in the number of children. Secondary technical schools and conservatoires also registered a slight increase in the average number of employees by 0.3 thousand (1.4%) of which 0.2 thousand were teachers (1%). The number of employees and teachers also slightly rose at gymnázia including schools with extended physical education by 0.2 thousand employees (1.7%). Salaries and Salary Levels in Regional Education In 2007, the average nominal monthly salary of employees in regional education at schools and school facilities established by all types of founders (including out-of-budget resources; for employees remunerated in accordance with Section 109, Par. 3 and Par. 2, of

Figure 20 Obrázek 18 28,000 24,000 20,000

19,842

26,109 25,743 25,541 24,083 23,859 21,990

25,618

23,164

21,370

26,712

21,133

19,216 16,973

16,000 12,000

Nominal salary of employees

8,000

Nominal salary of teachers

4,000

TPSs

SSs for pupils with SEN

Figure 21 Obrázek 18 28,000 25,847

20,000

19,835

23,231 21,180

26,195 25,620 25,459 23,799 23,730 21,988

26,999

19,180 16,984

16,000 12,000 8,000

Nominal salary of teachers

4,000

TPSs

SSs for pupils with SEN

Conservatoires

STSs

Gymnázia and sports schools

Basic schools

Nursery schools

0 SVSs and CPE

Source: IIE

25,860

21,430

Nominal salary of employees

Nominal salary in the non-entrepreneurial sector

24,295 23,498

23,791

24,000

Regional education

The average nominal monthly salary of employees and teachers (founders MEYS, municipality, and region) in comparison with the salary of staff in the non-entrepreneurial sector in 2007 (in CZK)

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Source: IIE

Conservatoires

SVSs and CPE

STSs

Gymnázia and sports schools

Basic schools

0 Regional education

Nominal salary in the non-entrepreneurial sector

25,819 24,327 23,515

23,858

Nursery schools

The average nominal monthly salary of employees and teachers (all founders) in comparison with the salary of employees in the non-entrepreneurial sector in 2007 (in CZK)

85

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

86

the Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, as amended) amounted to CZK 19,842, and thus constituted 88.7% of the national average salary. The average nominal monthly salary of teachers in regional education (including school heads and deputy heads) amounted to CZK 23,858 and exceeded the national average salary by 6.6%. Regional education facilities concern institutions providing preprimary, basic, secondary and tertiary professional education, including school facilities. From the view of annual development in regional education, the year 2007 witnessed an increase in the average nominal monthly salary of employees as well as teachers by 5.6% in comparison with 2006. In relation to the salary level in the entire Czech Republic, the teachers at tertiary professional schools were the best-off, as their salaries were 19.3% higher than the average monthly salary in the Czech Republic; further, the teachers at secondary schools and conservatoires for pupils with SEN and for disabled pupils (16.9% higher) and teachers at gymnázia with extended physical education (15.4% higher) were also well-off. In the two-year period from 2005 to 2007, the average nominal monthly salaries of employees in regional education increased by 12%, the same rate as teachers’ salaries. If the inflation rate is taken into account and average monthly real salaries (while considering the constant prices from 2005) in regional education are compared, it may be observed that in 2007 the salaries of employees and teachers increased by 2.7% in comparison to 2006. In the period from 2005 to 2007, the increase of the average real monthly salary of employees and teachers amounted to 6.3%. The average nominal monthly salary of employees in regional education at schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities and regions (Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Section 109, Par. 3, Labour Code, as amended, the employees remunerated from the state budget) amounted to CZK 19,835 and thus constituted 88.6% of the national

salary. The average nominal monthly salary of teachers in regional education (including school heads and deputy heads) at schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities and regions (teachers remunerated from the state budget) exceeded the average national salary by 6.3% and amounted to CZK 23,791. In 2006, the average nominal monthly salary of staff in regional education amounted to CZK 18,818 and thus constituted 90.3% of national salary. The average nominal monthly salary of teachers in regional education amounted to CZK 22,582 and exceeded the average national salary by 8.3%. From the view of year-to-year development in regional education, an increase of the average nominal monthly salary of employees and teachers was 5.4%. In the two-year period from 2005 to 2007, the average nominal monthly salary of staff increased by 11.8% and the nominal monthly salary of teachers increased by 11.7%. In the period from 2005 to 2007, the average nominal and real monthly salary of employees and teachers in regional education at schools and school facilities established by all types of founders (including out-ofbudget resources) increased. In 2007, the year-to-year increase in the nominal salary of employees and teachers amounted to 5.6%; the real salary increased by 2.7%. In 2007, the average nominal monthly salary of employees at nursery schools including nursery schools for children with SEN established by all types of founders was 5.3% higher for employees and 5.2% higher for teachers in comparison with 2006. The year 2007 generally witnessed a favourable development of the salaries of employees and teachers at nursery schools including nursery schools for children with SEN, and in comparison with 2006, the increase in the average real monthly salary amounted to 2.5% for employees and 2.3% for teachers this year. The annual increase in the average nominal monthly salary of employees at primary schools including schools for pupils with SEN amounted to 5.1% in 2007,

Table 32 The average nominal monthly salary of employees and teachers in regional education according to the type of school3)4) in CZK in 2005 to 2007 – all founders1)

Czech Republic Regional education Nursery schools Basic schools Gymnázia and sports schools5) STSs and conservatoires2) SVSs including CPE SSs and conservatoires for pupils with SEN2) TPSs

19,584 17,713 15,157 19,181 20,736 20,711 18,907 19,689 20,978

2006 Employees (in CZK) 20,844 18,787 16,115 20,337 22,055 21,864 19,933 20,693 22,292

2007

2005

22,382 19,842 16,973 21,370 23,515 23,200 21,133 22,063 23,859

19,584 21,306 17,209 21,797 22,789 22,924 22,111 22,143 23,521

2006 of which teachers (in CZK) 20,844 22,598 18,266 23,097 24,231 24,156 24,114 24,176 24,921

2007 22,382 23,858 19,216 24,327 25,819 25,619 25,541 26,158 26,712

Notes: 1 Schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities, regions, including municipal schools, private and denominational schools; Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, Section 109, Par. 3 and Par. 2 (previously Act No. 143/1992 Coll., on Salary, and Act No. 1/1992 Coll., on Remuneration). 2 Since January 1, 2006, there has been a change in record-keeping. Previously, the data about conservatoires were recorded within secondary technical schools. In order to provide for homogenous time lines, the abovementioned data are calculated according to the original methodology. 3 Regional education according to the types of schools (including heads of schools and school facilities and deputy heads). 4 The figures on NSs and BSs include schools for children (pupils) with SEN. 5 Sports schools are schools with extended physical education. Source: IIE, CZSO

Figure 22 The average real monthly salary of employees and teachers in regional education for all founders in comparison with the real salary of employees in the non-entrepreneurial sector in 2005 to 2007 (consumer price index for 2005 = 100%), in CZK

24,000

20,000 17,713

22,642

22,047

21,306 18,329

18,831

16,000

12,000 Real salary of employees Real salary of teachers

8,000

Real salary in the non-entrepreneurial sector 4,000 Source: IIE, CZSO

2005

2006

2007

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

2005

87

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

88

of which the increase for teachers amounted to 5.3%. In 2007, the average real monthly salary of employees at primary schools including schools for pupils with SEN increased by 2.2% and salary of teachers by 2.5% in comparison with 2006. The average nominal monthly salary of employees at gymnázia including schools with extended physical education was higher by 6.6% in 2007 in comparison with the previous year; the teachers’ salaries increased by the same amount. In comparison with the previous year, the average real monthly salary of employees and teachers at gymnázia and sports schools increased by 3.7%. In 2007, the year-to-year increase in the average nominal monthly salary of employees at secondary technical schools and conservatoires amounted to 6.1%, similarly as for the teachers. In comparison to the last year, the average real monthly salary of employees and teachers at secondary technical schools increased by 3.2% in 2007. The average nominal monthly salary of employees at secondary schools for pupils with SEN and at conservatoires for disabled pupils increased by 6.6% within one year and the salaries of teachers increased by 8.2%. The increase in the average real monthly salary of employees amounted to 3.7% and teachers’ salaries increased by 5.3%. The year-to-year increase in the average nominal monthly salary of employees at secondary vocational schools including the centres for practical training amounted to 6% in 2007 and 5.9% for teachers. The annual increase in the average real salary of employees at secondary vocational schools including the centres for practical training amounted to 3.1% and 3% for teachers. In 2007, quite a high annual increase in the average nominal monthly salary of employees at tertiary professional schools amounting to 7% may be observed. The annual increase in the salary of teachers at tertiary professional schools was even higher and amounted to 7.2%. In comparison with 2006, the average real monthly salary of employees at tertiary professional schools

increased by 4.1% in 2007, and the salaries of teachers increased by 4.3% in 2007. In 2007, the total amount of CZK 69,051.0 million was provided for remuneration and salaries in education (excluding the salaries of public administration staff, for all founders who provide remuneration in accordance with the Section 109, Par. 3 and Par. 2, of the Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, as amended; and excluding other payments for work done/other personal expenses, OPWD/OPE). This sum was covered from the resources of the state budget including out-of-budget resources. The total amount used for salaries increased by 6.2% in comparison with the same period of the previous year. Remuneration and salaries of teachers amounted to 68% of the total amount of used resources for salaries in regional education. The rest, i.e. 32%, was used for remuneration and salaries of other educational and noneducational staff.

5.2 Public Higher Education Institutions 5.2.1 Qualification Structure of Academic Staff In 2007, there were 16,526 academic staff26 at public higher education institutions. Their number increased by 1,002 persons in comparison with 2006. This high annual increase in their numbers was caused by the increase in the total number of students as well as by changes in record-keeping, whereby educational staff in research and development are newly included in separate records, and they are included in academic staff. The change in record keeping also explains the decrease in the number of scientific staff by 177 persons. In 2007, the number 26 Academic staff are the employees of higher education institution who carry out educational as well as scientific, research, development, artistic, or other creative activities. They include professors, associate professors, specialized assistants, assistants, lecturers, and scientific, research and development staff who participate in educational activity. Academic staff fulfil the function of teachers at higher education institutions.

Table 33 The average number (FTE) of employees (number of persons) and average monthly salary (in CZK) of staff at public higher education institutions, including dormitories and cafeterias (excluding AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs) according to the categories of staff in 2007 and their annual index Average monthly salary in 2007 in CZK1)

Total number of staff staff in public higher education institutions staff of dormitories staff of cafeterias Academic staff educational staff R&D professors associate professors specialised assistants assistants lecturers Scientific staff Technical and administrative staff Workers Commercial and service staff

28,544.7 27,140.8 792.4 611.5 16,525.9 513.8 1,830.6 3,357.6 8,668.5 1,574.2 581.3 1,758.9 9,257.4 3,548.8 477.7

26,167 26,751 15,429 14,138 34,469 35,891 55,660 42,870 29,373 23,457 23,771 28,102 24,015 13,244 13,916

indcluding

2007/2006 index of averge number of staff in 2007

average monthly salary

100.7 % 101.9 % 70.9 % 102.9 % 106.5 % x 102.9 % 100.8 % 103.5 % 104.1 % 110.2 % 90.9 % 99.8 % 92.6 % 84.4 %

108.7 % 108.0 % 113.4 % 107.1 % 107.5 % x 107.8 % 107.7 % 108.2 % 104.5 % 106.3 % 101.3 % 106.9 % 108.7 % 108.4 %

Note: 1 The average salary is calculated from the resources for salary provided from the state budget (Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, as amended, Section 109, Par. 2). Source: IIE

Figure 23 Average nominal and real monthly salaries of academic staff paid from the state budget in comparison with the salary in the Czech Republic in 2005 to 2007 (consumer price index for 2005 = 100 %), in CZK

38,000 34,469

34,000

32,053 30,463 30,463

31,271

32,712

30,000 26,000 22,000

Nominal monthly salary of academic staff 18,000 Real monthly salary of academic staff 14,000 Nominal monthly salary in the Czech Republic Real monthly salary in the Czech Republic Source: IIE, CZSO

10,000 6,000 2005

2006

2007

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Average number of staff in 2007

indcluding

Category of staff paid from the state budget

89

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

90

of scientific staff at public higher education institutions amounted to 1,759 persons. If the qualification categories of academic staff are closely examined, it may be observed that all of them registered a slight annual increase in comparison with 2006. The number of professors was increased by 51 persons and the number of associate professors by 27 persons in 2007. The highest increase may be observed in the category of specialised assistants, whose number increased by 294 persons. The total number of academic staff in 2007 constituted 514 educational staff in research and development, 1,831 professors, 3,358 associate professors, and further constituted 8,669 specialized assistants, 1,574 assistants, and 581 lecturers. The percentage of professors out of all academic staff amounted to 11.1% and the percentage of associate professors amounted to 20.3% (as opposed to 2006 when there were 11.5% of professors and 21.5% of associate professors). The rates of professors are most favourable at most artistic higher education institutions (AMU in Prague, AVU in Prague, JAMU in Brno, and VŠUP in Prague) where the professors constitute 12.9% to 22.2% of all academic staff at the given public higher education institution. The lowest professor rates out of the total number of academic staff at the given public higher education institution, on the other hand, are at the College of Polytechnics in Jihlava (3.8%), Silesian University of Opava (6%), University Hradec Králové (7.7%), and University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (7.9%). The most favourable situation in the rates of associate professors in the total number of academic staff is at JAMU in Brno (28.8%), AMU in Prague (26%), BUT in Brno (25.2%), and further at VŠCHT in Prague (23.5%), VŠE in Prague (22.8%), ČVUT in Prague (22.5%), MU in Brno (21.8%), and UK in Prague (21.4%). On the contrary the least favourable situation in the rates of associated professors is at the College of Polytechnics in Jihlava (5.7%) and at VŠUP in Prague (8.1%).

5.2.2 Public Higher Education Institutions: Average Number (FTE) of Staff and Average Monthly Salaries In the period from 2005 to 2007, the average calculated number of employees at public higher education institutions increased according to the categories of staff and according to their average nominal monthly salary. In 2007, the total number of staff at public higher education institutions including dormitories and cafeterias (excluding AF PHEI and FF PHEI) slightly increased (by around 0,7%) in comparison to 2006 and amounted to 28.5 thousand employees, of which there were 27.1 thousand employees at higher education institutions and the rest, i.e. 1.4 thousand employees, worked in dormitories and cafeterias. There was quite a significant decrease in the number of dormitories, amounting to 0.3 thousand persons. In 2007, there were 18.3 thousand academic employees and employees in research and development at public higher education institutions, totalling 16.5 thousand academic employees and 1.8 thousand employees in research and development. The average nominal monthly salary of employees at public higher education institutions amounted to CZK 26,167 in 2007 (which constitutes 116.9% of the national average salary); the salary of staff at higher education institutions amounted to CZK 26,751 (119.5% of the national average salary); the salary of staff working in dormitories amounted to CZK 15,429 (68.9% of the national average salary); and the salary of staff working in cafeterias amounted to CZK 14,138 (63.2% of the national average salary). The average nominal monthly salary of academic staff amounted to CZK 34,469 (154% of the national average salary). According to the categories of academic staff (it concerns academic staff paid from the state budget) of public higher education institutions including dormitories and cafeterias (excluding AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs), the highest salaries were provided

Table 34 Average numbers (FTE) of employees in regional education and public higher education institutions (incl. dormitories and cafeterias, excl. AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs) and salary resources (in CZK) provided from the ESF in 20071) Number (FTE) of employees

including

RgE in local units1)

119.3

educational staff non-educational staff

Public higher education institutions

2)

Total resources for salaries (in thousands CZK) indcluding Total OPWD/OPE salaries/remuneration 129,929 103,264 26,665

Average monthly salary in CZK (excl. OPWD/OPE) 18,620

64.6

.

.

14,462

18,642

54.7

.

.

12,203

18,594

299.2

280,970

156,841

124,129

34,571

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Notes: 1 Schools and school facilities established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, municipalities, regions, including municipal schools; salary guidelines, i.e. Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, Section 109, Par. 3. 2 The average salary is calculated from the resources for salary provided from the state budget (Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, as amended, Section 109, Par. 2). Source: IIE

91

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

92

to professors (CZK 55,660) and the lowest to assistants (CZK 23,457). In 2007, the annual increase in the average nominal monthly salary of staff at public higher education institutions including dormitories and cafeterias (excluding AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs) amounted to 8.7% in comparison with 2006. The highest increase was shown in the average nominal monthly salary of staff working in dormitories (by 13.4%). This high annual increase was primarily due to a significant decrease in the number of dormitory staff in 2007. Further, there was quite a high increase in the salaries of staff at public higher education institutions (by 8%), particularly for cafeteria staff (by 7.1%) and academic staff (by 7.5%). On the other hand, the lowest increase in salaries concerned scientific staff (by 1.3%). In 2007, the annual increase in the average real monthly salary of staff at public higher education institutions including dormitories and cafeterias (excluding AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs; considering the constant prices of 2005) amounted to 5.7% in comparison with 2006. The highest increase was shown in the average real monthly salary of staff working in dormitories, i.e. by 10.3% (due to a significant decrease in the number of staff ); and further in the salaries of staff of public higher education institutions with an increase by 5.1%. The salaries of academic staff increased by 4.6% and the salaries of cafeteria staff by 4.2%.

in the creation of important documents, on the basis of which the Czech Republic is being allocated resources from the ESF. Thanks to these resources, there are greater possibilities to efficiently fulfil the contents of two strategic documents in Czech education: the National Programme for the Development of Education in the Czech Republic (so-called White Book), and the Long-Term Policy Objective of Education and the Development of the Education System in the Czech Republic.

5.3 European Social Fund – ESF

The average calculated number of employees at public higher education institutions including dormitories and cafeterias (excluding AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs) covered by resources from the ESF amounted to 299.2 in 2007. The amount of CZK 124,129 was provided for salaries (excluding OPWD/OPE) from the resources allocated to organizations from the ESF.

After entering the European Union, the European Social Fund (ESF), one of the four European Union Structural Funds, became the principal source of financial support in the field of life-long learning, among other things. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports participated

5.3.1 Regional Education and ESF The average number (FTE) of employees in regional education paid from the ESF resources (founders: the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, a municipality, and a region, Act No. 262/2006 Coll., Labour Code, as amended, Section 109, Par. 3) amounted to 119.3 persons in 2007, of which 54.2% (i.e. 64.6 FTE persons) of activities covered by the ESF were carried out by educational staff and 45.8% (i.e. 54.7 FTE persons) of activities covered by the ESF were carried out by non-educational staff. In 2007, CZK 26,665 were provided for total salaries from the ESF (excluding OPWD/OPE) to all employees in regional education, of which the educational staff were provided CZK 14,462 for total salaries from the ESF and non-educational staff were provided CZK 12,203.

5.3.2 Public Higher Education Institutions and ESF

6 Financing of Education

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

94

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the state organisational units and contributory institutions managed their resources in 2007 in accordance with the Act No. 622/20006 Coll., on the State Budget of the Czech Republic for 2007, as amended. The Act on the State Budget for 2007 was passed by the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and adopted by the Resolution No. 160 of December 13, 2006. During the year 2007, the adopted Budget was modified not only concerning transfers within Chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports but also concerning transfers between other budgetary chapters and the budget of Chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. There were 57 budgetary measures taken during the year. On the part of incomes, there was an increase by CZK 0.9 million in comparison to the adopted Budget, and on the part of expenditures, there was an increase by CZK 648.8 million. The current expenditures were decreased, but there was an increase in capital expenditures. The adopted Budget of Chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports amounted to CZK 121,652.4 million in expenses and to CZK 6,566.8 million in incomes including the incomes from the EU. The actual Budget totals as of December 31, 2007 reached the amount of CZK 2,531.2 million for incomes and the amount of CZK 123,199.2 million for expenditures. In this context it is necessary to mention that since 2007, the methodology for drawing the financial statements has been changed, and thus transfers of the unused resources to the reserve fund also constitute part of the actual spending of the State Budget. After settlement, the abovementioned drawing of the incomes and expenditures amounts to CZK 649.2 million in incomes and CZK 115,435.8 million in expenditures. A further, significant modification that affected the financing of education consisted in the change of regulation No. 323/2002 Coll., on Budget Structure, as amended. This change specified the content of the existing items and sections more clearly and at the same time introduced new items for generic subdivision.

The Management of the resources of the State Budget in the sector of education, youth and sports in 2007 was regulated by the following Acts in particular: Act No. 218/2000 Coll., on Budget Rules and Amendment of Some Related Acts (Budget Rules), as amended; Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, as amended; Act No. 306/1999 Coll., on Providing Subsidies to Private Schools, Pre-School and School Facilities, as amended; Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendment of and Supplement to Further Acts, as amended; Act No. 109/2002 Coll., on Institutional Education or Protective Education in School Provisions and on Preventive Educational Care and on Amendments of Several Acts, as amended; Act No. 130/2002 Coll., on Research and Development Support from Public Funds and on Amendment of Several Related Acts (Act on Research and Development Support), as amended; and Act No. 115/2001 Coll., on Support of Sports, as amended.

6.1 Financing of Regional Education According to the provision of Section 161 of Act No. 561/2004, as amended, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports sets forth national per capita amounts as the amount of expenses from the State Budget allocated for education and school services for one pupil or student of the relevant age category within pre-primary, basic, secondary and tertiary professional education at schools and school facilities established by regions, municipalities and unions of municipalities for one calendar year. The amount of expenses shall be understood as the total amount of so-called direct current expenditures provided as a per capita amount from the State Budget, subdivided into salary resources including levies and other current expenditures. The national per capita amounts also include limits on the number of employees allocated to 1,000 children, pupils or students in the relevant age group. Starting in 2006, a new category of per capita

Table 35

Possible updates of figures published by CZSO were retrospectively reflected in the previous periods; it does not have to correspond with previous issues.

2005

2006

2007

2,987,722.0 100.0 130,319.2 95,531.6

3,231,576.0 102.5 142,834.1 103,098.7

3,557,653.0 105.4 152,988.2 105,369.3

72,729.7

76,156.4

79,497.2

-68,546.2

-72,430.2

-75,098.2

municipalities and VUMs (chapter 700)

66,102.0

70,222.8

73,086.3

regional authorities (chapter 700)3)

25,246.2

29,149.7

27,883.9

4.4 % 3.2 %

4.4 % 3.2 %

4.3 % 3.0 %

from the budget of

Gross domestic product in current prices Consumer price index (2005 = 100) Public expenditure for education in current prices1) Public expenditure for regional education in current prices MEYS (chapter 333) transfers from the MEYS to RA and city councils

2)

3)

Public expenditure for education in % GDP Public expenditure for regional education in % GDP

Notes: 1 Total expenditure for education from chapters 333 MEYS, 700 Municipalities and VUMs, RA. 2 Transfers from the MEYS to RA and city councils only for parts 31 and 32 – Education. 3 Due to consolidation, the following items from the relevant groups of budget structure are not included: 5321; 5323; 5329; 5344; 5345; 5349; 5366; 5641; 5642; 5649; 6341; 6342; 6349; 6441; 6442; 6449. Source: Final Statement of chapter 333 MEYS, 700 Municipalities and VUMs; RA, CZSO

Source: Final Statement of chapter 333 MEYS, 700 Municipalities and VUMs; RA

2005 95,531.6

2006 103,098.7

2007 105,369.3

including

Regional education – public expenditures in 2005 to 2007, current prices (in million CZK)

current expenditures

87,592.3

92,398.8

97,025.8

capital expenditures

7,939.3

10,699.9

8,343.5

in %

Table 36

current expenditures capital expenditures

91.7 % 8.3 %

89.6 % 10.4 %

92.1 % 7.9 %

Total

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Public expenditures in education in 2005 to 2007, current prices and their percentage in GDP (in million CZK)

95

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

96

amount was introduced: a child, pupil or student placed in regional provisions for institutional education (3 to 18 years of age). Apart from formula funding through per capita amounts, regional and municipal education was also funded by financial resources for developmental programmes. By using the national per capita amounts, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports prepared a breakdown of so-called direct current expenditures allocated in 2007 in Chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to individual regional authorities and the Prague City Council (further referred to as PCC). Using regional per capita amounts, regional authorities and the PCC then prepared a breakdown of these financial resources and transferred them to individual legal entities performing the activities of schools or school facilities. Regional per capita amounts are governed by regulation No. 492/2005 Coll., on Regional Per Capita Amounts, as amended. The resources in the amount of CZK 71,215.6 million27 provided to schools and school facilities founded by municipalities, regions or voluntary unions of municipalities (VUMs) were provided to the budgets of regional authorities and the PCC through transfers of a non-capital nature from the Chapter of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. In accordance with Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-Primary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, as amended, the regional authorities and the PCC allocated these resources from their budgets directly to individual schools or school facilities. Financial resources in the amount of CZK 29,304.7 million were transferred to schools and schools facilities established by regions, and the amount of CZK 41,910.8 million was transferred to schools and school facilities established by municipalities. The resources provided to private schools and school facilities are allocated from the State Budget to the budgets of the regions and PCC as purpose-bound. The regions 27 Financial resources traceable under purpose code 33353.

and PCC allocated these resources in accordance with the following acts and sections: Act No. 306/1999 Coll., on Providing Subsidies to Private Schools, Pre-School and School Facilities, as amended; Section 163 of Education Act; and Act No. 250/2000 Coll., on Budget Rules for Territorial Budgets, as amended. In 2007, the subsidies granted to private schools under the purpose code 33155 amounted to CZK 3,676.7 million, of which CZK 3,664.7 million constituted financial resources allocated on the basis of formula funding in accordance to Section 1, Par. 2 and 3 of Act No. 306/1999, on Providing Subsidies to Private Schools, Pre-School and School Facilities, as amended, and the amount of CZK 12 million constituted financial resources for developmental programmes. Apart from the abovementioned financial resources, the transfer of current expenditures in the total amount of CZK 75,283.3 million further consisted of direct educational expenditures for the sports gymnázia (CZK 65.5 million), a non-capital subsidy for programmes on drug-prevention, social programmes and criminality prevention (CZK 13.9 million), a project for integrating the Roma community (CZK 9.3 million), projects for the State Information Policy in Education (CZK 73.0 million), competitions (CZK 25.1 million), and projects co-financed from the EU (CZK 178.7 million). Regional education was further provided with capital financial resources intended for teaching materials in the amount of CZK 5.7 million. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports also economically supported 116 denominational schools and school facilities. In accordance with Section 162 of Act No. 561/2004 Coll., the Ministry transferred operational subsidies to these schools (in total CZK 856.1 million) directly from its account at the Czech National Bank. In order to specify the breakdown of the budget, a system of per capita amount set by the Ministry for private education (basic per capita amount and extra per capita amount) was used in accordance with Section 4, of Act No. 306/1999 Coll., on Providing Subsidies to Private

Table 37 Regional education – distribution of public expenditures in 2005 to 2007, constant prices as of 2005

Notes: 1 Excluding schools for children/pupils/students with special educational needs. 2 Expenditures for international cooperation under Section 3291 are not included. Source: Final Statement of chapter 333 MEYS; 700 Municipalities and VUMs; RA

Index 2007/06 103.0 % 103.5 % 96.7 % 96.4 % 103.6 % 100.2 % 101.7 % 101.0 % 100.3 % 98.3 % 107.8 % 111.6 % 99.4 %

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

of which

Pre-primary education of which nursery schools1) Basic education incl. after-school care centres and school clubs of which BSs, after-school care centres and school clubs1) Basic art schools Secondary education gymnázia incl. sports schools1) STSs and conservatoires incl. TPSs1) secondary vocational schools1) Catering of NS, BS and SS pupils Pupils’ accommodation Other expenditures Regional education in total2)

Total expenditures in RgE in constant prices as of 2005 in million CZK 2005 2006 2007 11,034.3 11,682.9 12,031.7 10,617.9 11,292.7 11,687.8 43,971.3 46,969.9 45,424.2 39,814.7 42,821.1 41,298.8 3,037.7 3,069.3 3,180.5 29,107.2 30,512.2 30,572.6 6,115.3 6,599.2 6,708.6 10,819.5 11,588.5 11,704.8 10,762.9 10,882.9 10,914.6 3,419.6 3,326.2 3,270.9 2,338.1 2,323.6 2,505.4 2,623.4 2,699.9 3,014.0 95,531.6 100,584.1 99,999.3

97

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

98

Schools, Pre-Schools and School Facilities, as amended. Apart from operational subsidies, the denominational schools and school facilities were provided with financial resources for developmental programmes and further purpose-bound subsidies for projects, including projects co-financed by the EU budget. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports provided full economic support through the contributions to 73 schools and school facilities which it founded, providing education to children, pupils and students with special educational needs and providing institutional education and protective educational care. The actual drawing of expenditures of these organizations amounted to CZK 1,902.9 million. Public Expenditures for Regional Education The reform of public administration completely changed the system of regional education. In education, the reform started with the disappearance of Local Educational Authorities by December 31, 2000, and it continued in 2001 by decentralising and shifting the establishing functions of schools, pre-school and school facilities, with the exception of facilities for institutional education and preventive educational care, from the Ministry (i.e. the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and in case of secondary agricultural education from the Ministry of Agriculture) to regions. It was the most extensive decentralisation of public administration which was completed by the dissolution of the District Offices by December 31, 2002 and by transferring their competences to regions and municipalities with extended responsibilities. From 2003 until now, the financial flows in education have not practically changed. In 2007, the expenditures for regional education, i.e. for education28 up to the level of tertiary professional education (including pre-primary education) and for 28 In the economic sphere, education is delimited by the budget category 31 and partly 32.

school facilities, amounted to CZK 105.4 billion. Current expenditures constituted 92% of total expenditures. The total resources expended on regional education increased annually by approx. CZK 2.3 billion (an increase of 2.2%). The percentage of these expenditures in GDP decreased to 3% of the GDP29. During the three-year period, the total expenditures for regional education increased by CZK 9.8 billion which constitutes more than 10%. Current (non-capital) expenditures for regional education (including salary expenditures and expenditures for social and health insurance) amounted to CZK 97 billion. The annual increase in current prices amounted to CZK 4.6 billion, representing a 5% increase. Capital (investment) expenditures for regional education in current prices amounted to CZK 8.3 billion and, in comparison with the year 2006, they decreased by CZK 2.4 billion (or more than 22%). In 2006, there was an increase in capital expenditures of almost 35% in comparison with the previous year. The percentage of capital expenditures out of total expenditures for regional education amounts to almost 8%. The information on regional education is put in compliance with the Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on PrePrimary, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, as amended. For example, it concerns the closing down of special schools as a separate school type. The expenditures of these school types were included in pre-primary, basic and secondary education. Similarly as in the previous year, the greatest part of expenditures in regional education was on basic education, including afterschool care centres and school clubs (45.4%), followed by secondary education including conservatoires30 and 29 The GDP was updated according to figures from CZSO as of March 31, 2008 in the timeline. 30 On the basis of the changes in budget structure valid from January 1, 2007, it is possible to follow expenditures for the conservatoires separately; with regard to three-year timeline, they are included together with the expenditures of secondary technical schools and tertiary professional schools as in previous years.

Figure 24 Regional education – annual unit expenditures per child/pupil/student in 2005 to 2007, constant prices as of 2005 (in CZK)

60,000 49,283

47,321

50,000

47,799

45,817

50,316

42,439

40,000

Pre-primary education

30,000

Basic education

20,000

Secondary education, conservatoires and TPSs

10,000

38,428

37,975

37,318

0 2006

2007

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

2005

Notes: Methodology used for calculations of expenditures per child/pupil/student • Number of children/pupils/students in a school year = number of pupils in the full-time form of education (or study) + ¼ of number of children/pupils/students in other forms of education (or study); children with a limited length for NS attendance are taken into account (Section 30, Par. 3, of Act No. 117/1995 Coll., on State Social Support, as amended) by including them only in ½. Within basic schools, children in preparatory classes for children with social handicaps, pupils fulfilling school attendance in accordance with Section 42 of Education Act, and ¼ of pupils fulfilling school attendance in accordance with Section 41 and 38 of Education Act are included. The change as opposed to the methodology used so far consists in inclusion of pupils in other forms of education from the current 1⁄3 to ¼. At all relevant levels of education, the number of pupils in courses aiming to attain the basics of education/basic education was considered; the full- time form is included by ½, other forms by 1⁄8. In schools for children/pupils with special educational needs, children from the preparatory stage including integrated children are included. • The calculated number of children/pupils/students in a calendar year = 2⁄3 of number of children/pupils/students in school year which ends in the relevant calendar year + 1⁄3 of children/pupils/students in the school year which starts in the given calendar year. • Total expenditures for education = current (non-capital) expenditures from budgets of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Municipality and VUMs, RA. Source: Final Statement of Chapter 333 Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports; 700 Municipalities and VUMs; RA (Part: Education)

99

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

100

tertiary professional education (30.6%), and pre-primary education (11.7%). The expenditures in regional education in constant prices as of 2005 decreased annually (by 0.6%); in current prices, however, there was an increase by 2.2%. The aforementioned decrease in expenditures was due to lower expenditures for basic education and pupils’ catering. On the other hand, there was an increase in the categories of other expenses, pupils’ accommodation and expenses for basic art education and pre-primary education. The expenditures for secondary education in constant prices as of 2005 increased only very slightly. In 2007, the expenditures in constant prices as of 2005 amounted to almost CZK 100 billion; in the period from 2005 to 2007, there was an increase by 4.7%. The most significant increase in the period may be observed in the category of other expenditures (14.9%), expenditures for education in gymnázium courses (9.7%) and in preprimary education (9%). The decrease in the whole period may be seen in expenditures for pupils’ catering. Unit Expenditures per Child/Pupil/Student in 2005 to 2007 Unit expenditures per child/pupil/student define the financial demands of education for each child/pupil/ student. For comparisons of expenditures in the timeline from 2005 to 2007, it is more suitable not to compare these data in current prices but in conversion to constant prices as of 2005 so as to exclude inflation. The highest annual increase was measured in basic education including after-school care centres and school clubs: the increase amounted to no less than 4.3% (CZK 2.0 thousand), and in the three-year period to 12.6% (CZK 5.4 thousand). The unit expenditures per one child/pupil/ student in secondary education including conservatoires and TPSs increased annually by 2.1% (CZK 1.0 thousand) and for the whole period by 6.3% (CZK 3.0 thousand). The increase of unit expenditures in pre-primary education amounted to 1.2% (CZK 0.5 thousand) and for the whole three-year period to 3% (CZK 1.1 thousand).

6.2 Financing of Higher Education In accordance with Section 18, Par. 3, of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendment of and Supplement to Further Acts (the Higher Education Act), as amended (further referred to as “Higher Education Act”), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports provides contributions to public higher educational institutions for educational, scientific, research, developmental, and artistic or other creative activity. The change in funding through the implementation of the contribution was set forth by the Act No. 552/2005 Coll. The Act No. 624/2006 Coll. further specified the definition of the contribution for the activity of public higher education institutions, changed the contribution’s function, and clarified settlement with the State Budget. Public higher education institutions are entitled to receive a subsidy for the development of the institution and can receive a subsidy for the accommodation and catering for students. The financing of research and development is regulated by the Act No. 130/2002 Coll., on Research and Development Support from Public Funds and on Amendment of Several Related Acts (Act on Research and Development Support). In accordance with Section 40, Par. 2, of Higher Education Act, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports may provide a subsidy to private higher education institutions that are public benefit corporations for realising their accredited study programmes and life-long learning programmes and related scientific, research, development, artistic or other creative activities, and it may also provide a subsidy for scholarships to all private higher education institutions in accordance with Section 91, Par. 2, Letter d), and Section 91, Par. 3. For setting the amount of contribution, the decisive factors are: the type and financial demands of the accredited study programmes and life-long learning programmes; the number of students and achieved results in educational, scientific, research, developmental, and artistic or other creative activities and how demanding

Table 38 Higher education institutions – expenditures from chapter 333 of the MEYS in 2005 to 2007, current prices (thousand CZK)

including

2005 2006 Expenditures for higher education institutions from the budget chapter 333 MEYS1) Total public expenditure for higher education institutions 24,635,030 27,726,616

2007 29,884,774

current expenditures

20,265,772

22,774,364

24,707,264

capital expenditures

4,369,259

4,952,252

5,177,511

Notes: 1 It concerns expenditures included under items 5332 and 6352 in budget structure. 2 Total expenditure for education from chapters 333 MEYS; 700 Municipalities and VUMs, RA. Source: Final Statement of chapter 333 MEYS

Table 39

Notes: 1 Re-calculation to constant prices of 2005 was carried out by IIE. 2 It concerns expenditures included under items 5332 and 6352 in budget structure. Source: Final Statement of chapter 333 MEYS

2005 2006 Total expenditure for public higher education institutions2) Total expenditure for public higher education institutions including

Public higher education institutions – expenditures from chapter 333 of the MEYS in 2005 to 2007, constant prices1) as of 2005 (thousand CZK)

2007

24,635,030.4

27,050,357.1

28,361,748.4

current expenditures

20,265,771.7

22,218,891.4

23,448,100.6

capital expenditures

4,369,258.8

4,831,465.7

4,913,647.9

Expenditure for higher education institutions according to functional classification Total 24,635,030.4 27,050,357.1 28,361,748.4 Activity of higher education institutions 19,648,086.6 21,827,095.9 22,705,615.5 Higher education dormitories and cafeterias 651,419.0 200,426.3 193,475.4 Reseach and development 4,171,199.0 4,645,006.8 5,052,203.7 Educational issues 5,355.3 6,642.5 5,130.1 International cooperation 47,678.7 245,931.9 279,215.3 Drug policy 360.0 0.0 318.4 Crime prevention 420.0 452.4 227.8 Development and humanitarian foreign aid 110,511.9 124,801.1 125,562.3

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

in %

current expenditures 82.3 % 82.1 % 82.7 % capital expenditures 21.6 % 21.7 % 21.0 % Percentage of expenditures for higher education institutions in the total expenditures for education, in the budget of the MEYS and in GDP Percent of expenditures for HEI in expenditures of chapter 333 MEYS 33.9 % 36.4 % 37.6 % Total expenditures for education in bilion CZK2) 130.3 142.8 153.0 Percent of expenditures for HEI in total expenditures for education 18.9 % 19.4 % 19.5 % GDP in current prices in bilion CZK 2,987.7 3,231.6 3,557.7 Percentage of expenditures for HEI from chapter 333 MEYS in % GDP 0.8 % 0.9 % 0.8 %

101

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

102

these are. Further, the long-term policy objective of a public higher education institution and long-term policy plan of educational, scientific, research and development, artistic or further creative activities for higher education institutions elaborated by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and its annual updates are also decisive for determining the amount of the contribution as well as the subsidy. The contributions and subsidies for public higher education institutions established in accordance with the Higher Education Act are provided on the basis of “Rules for Providing Contribution and Subsidies to Public Higher Education Institutions” issued by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on February 24, 2006 with reference number 4 632/2006-30. On the basis of the effective legislation, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports provided non-capital contributions from the budget chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, to higher education institutions for the realization of accredited study programmes and life-long learning programmes and artistic or creative activities connected therewith. The contributions were allocated to the following: ¾ for educational activity at a public higher education institutions, depending on the number of defined students and according to the number of graduates, in the amount of CZK 15,852.7 million; ¾ for scholarships awarded to students in the full-time form of education in accredited study programmes in the amount of CZK 739.45 million ¾ for Educational Policy Fund in the amount of CZK 110.1 million; ¾ for special activities in the amount of CZK 3.3 million; ¾ for short-term stays of foreign students and for Summer School of Slavonic Studies in the amount of CZK 15.7 million; ¾ for contributions for accommodation in the amount of CZK 886.1 million; and

¾ for social scholarships in the amount of CZK 112.0 million. In compliance with the abovementioned regulations, the following subsidies were provided to higher education institutions: ¾ for projects within the programmes AKTION, CEEPUS and SOCRATES and for travel expenses within the framework of implementation of international treaties in the amount of CZK 286.0 million; ¾ for projects within Higher Education Development Fund in the amount of CZK 110.4 million; ¾ for developmental programmes in the amount of CZK 822.7 million; ¾ for Educational Policy Fund in the amount of CZK 9.4 million; and ¾ for foreign students, compatriots and ex-patriots in the amount of CZK 120.5 million. The subsidy in the amount of CZK 3.0 million was used to pass amending proposals in the course of discussion of the State Budget. The public higher education institutions were further provided with subsidies for accommodation and catering for students in the amount of CZK 203.9 million which constitutes the state contribution for the part of the costs connected with students’ accommodation and catering in the course of the 12-month calendar year. The public higher education institutions received further subsidies within international cooperation in education in the amount of CZK 294.2 million and further subsidies in the amount of CZK 18.0 million (educational activities for Roma integration – CZK 0.7 million education of ethnic minorities – CZK 0.8 million, drug prevention and criminality prevention – CZK 0.6 million, foreign humanitarian aid – CZK 0.2 million, developmental foreign cooperation outside subsidies for foreign students and compatriots – CZK 11.8 million). A non-capital subsidy for research and development was provided for research and development in the amount of CZK 4,829.1 million

research and development in the amount of CZK 0.1 million. The system of higher education is further supplemented with two state higher educational institutions – the Police Academy of the Czech Republic, which is within the scope of competence of the Ministry of the Interior, and the University of Defence falling under the Ministry of Defence. These higher educational institutions are financed from the financial means of the respective chapters of the State Budget. Public Expenditures for Higher Educational Institutions Spent from Chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports The total expenditures for higher educational institutions spent from chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports amounted to CZK 29,884.8 million in 2007, representing 19.5% of total expenditures in education.31 A part of the expenditures was intended for private higher educational institutions; this part amounted to CZK 44.6 million representing 0.15% of the expenditures for higher education institutions. The percentage of expenditures for higher education institutions has increased since 2005 slightly, i.e. by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison with the year 2005, there was an increase in total expenditures for higher education institutions by CZK 5,249.7 million in current prices (by 21.3%). Upon re-calculation to constant prices of 2005, this meant an increase by CZK 3,726.7 million (by 15.1%). The percentage of expenditures for higher educational institutions measured by the macroeconomic aggregate GDP32 has reached 0.8% in 2007, i.e. annually it dropped by 0.1 percentage point and returned to the figure for the year 2005. Current (non-capital) expenditures for higher educational institutions spent from chapter 333 of the 31 Total expenditures for education from chapters 333 of the MEYS, 700 Municipalities and VUMs, RA. 32 GDP was updated according to figures from CZSO as of March 31, 2008 in the timeline.

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

plus CZK 3.2 million for the purposes of the Research and Development Council. In 2007, higher education institutions administered capital subsidies and contributions outside the programmes of property reproduction in the total amount of CZK 1,510.9 million including the following: ¾ Higher Education Development Fund and development programmes – CZK 652.7 million; ¾ contribution to the activities of public higher education institutions CZK 366.9 million; and ¾ research and development – CZK 491.3 million.. Capital subsidies to public higher education institutions were provided in the amount of CZK 3,666.6 million within the framework of programmes of property reproduction. A private higher educational institution, in accordance with Section 40 of the Higher Education Act, is obliged to provide financial means for educational, developmental, artistic and further creative activities. A private higher educational institution may receive subsidies from the State Budget if it is active as a public benefit corporation. In 2007, a subsidy in the amount of CZK 1.4 million was provided to a single private higher educational institution, to the Higher School of Public Administration and International Relations in Prague (Vysoká škola veřejné správy a mezinárodních vztahů v Praze, o. p. s.). This school is attended by students with severe physical handicaps. The provision of subsidies to private higher educational institutions for research and development is governed by Act No. 130/2002 Coll., on Research and Development Support from Public Funds and on the Amendment of Several Related Acts (the Act on Research and Development Support). Thirty-six of the total 43 private higher educational institutions active in the Czech Republic in the year 2007 have received subsidies for social grant (CZK 3.6 million) and accommodation contribution (CZK 23.8 million). The Institute of Finance and Administration (Vysoká škola finanční a správní, o. p. s.) received a subsidy for

103

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

104

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports amounted to CZK 24,707.3 million, with an annual increase by CZK 1,932.9 million (by 8.5%). These expenditures represented 82.7% of total expenditures. Upon re-calculation to constant prices of 2005, this meant an increase by CZK 1,229.2 million (by 5.5%) and amounted to 15.7% (CZK 3,182.3 million) since 2005. Capital (investment) expenditures for higher educational institutions spent from chapter 333 of

the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports out of the total expenditures for such schools amounted to 21%, representing CZK 5,177.5 million. Upon recalculation to constant prices of 2005, the expenditures have increased over a three-year period by 12.5% (CZK 544.4 million), and by CZK 82.2 million annually, i.e. an annual increase by 1.7%. Capital contributions and subsidies are not provided to private higher educational institutions.

7 Education and Employment

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

106

7.1 Broader Economic Environment and Employers’ Requirements for Graduates Graduates represent one of the endangered groups of economically active citizens, facing more difficulties in their career in the labour market. Compared to other employment seekers, the graduates are disadvantaged by their lack of practice, missing work routines and minimal experience. They are also facing an increased risk of failure when seeking a job, which may lead to the loss of motivation in the professional field, or, as the case may be, an unwillingness to assume the responsibility for their lives or an increased tendency towards sociallypathological phenomena. Nevertheless, the present situation is very favourable for the graduates’ prospects. These prospects arise from both the improving economic situation of the Czech Republic (economic growth, larger scope of career opportunities, lower general unemployment rate and the like), and the fact that graduates have had, in recent years, more opportunities to continue their education thanks to the wider availability of tertiary education, and fewer graduates thus enter the labour market. The increased availability of career opportunities provided by foreign investors plays an important role too; this may be reflected in the fact that unemployment has mainly dropped in technical fields (mainly in the fields of machinery, electrical technology and the construction industry). A total decrease in the number of unemployed graduates has to a certain degree been caused by the gradual decrease in the total number of graduates, due to the lower number of children born in the given years. This phenomenon is, however, starting to create an adverse situation in the labour market, where the lack of professionals in certain fields becomes apparent. If we compare the prospects of the graduates in the labour market based on the level of their education, it is obvious that the prospects on the labour market directly depend on the level of education and the unemployment

rate only indirectly depends on the level of education. This relation remains valid also under circumstances of significant improvement of graduates’ prospects and lack of available labour. On the other hand, due to the high demand for skilled workers, the result is that in April 2007 the graduates with an apprenticeship certificate of the educational category H would have found a career almost as easily as the graduates of courses with a maturitní zkouška examination at secondary technical schools and even more easily than graduates with an apprenticeship certificate with a maturitní zkouška examination. As for the admission of new employees, it shows that the ratio of graduates in the total number of newly admitted employees does not significantly vary among individual economic sectors. Somewhat more apparent differences may be observed within such sectors, depending on the size and branch of the respondent company. It is the prevailing practice in all sectors subject to examination that graduates are admitted, without being directly preferred. A survey among employers has further shown that educational as well as the professional structure of newly admitted employees is, to a high degree, determined by the nature, field specialisation and predominant activity of the employing companies and personnel needs resulting from it. It is obvious from the process of selection and admission of new employees that, in all sectors, the companies most frequently choose from applicants for work who apply themselves, taking advantage of the recommendations of existing employees and also look for new employees by means of advertising, or, as the case may be, on the internet. It is therefore crucial for the graduates not to be passive in their search for employment, but to actively look for companies and organisations in which they could be employed. There also is a good chance of acquiring employment in a follow-up from a previous practice or internship with the given company. This relationship is due to the fact that, when admitting graduates, the employers pay

Figure 25 Obrázek 18 Reasons for the admission of graduates in the sectors of national economy

Freedom from previous work habits Computer skills

Quaternary sector

Openness to further education

Tertiary sector

Knowledge of foreign languages

Secondary sector

Flexibility

More recent theoretical knowledge, knowledge of new technologies Originality of ideas

Financial incentives (additional grants from the Labour Office) Other reasons Source: NÚOV

0%

10 %

20 %

30 %

40 %

50 %

60 %

70 %

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Openness towards corporate philosophy

107

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

108

attention not only to acquired education, readiness to continue one’s education, knowledge of foreign languages, working zeal or overview on the field, but also previous work experience. If the graduate acquires experience by means of a secondment, part-time job or internship directly in the company, the employer has the opportunity to get acquainted with his/her knowledge, abilities, skills and personal characteristics (such as the general approach to work, carefulness, conscientiousness and the like) which may lead to greater readiness to offer the graduate a more permanent position. Acquiring necessary practical experience, without which the graduates are rejected a priori by some companies, is not necessarily connected with a specific employer for pupils and students. Even when the largest significance is attributed to work experience in the relevant field, each previous work activity is generally considered to be advantageous. Work experience shows, among other things, independence, an interest in work and getting to know the working environment, an effort to acquire experience and practice and a generally proactive attitude towards work and life. The employers further assume that previous professional practice has enabled the pupils and students to acquire, apart from the actual work experience, a realistic notion of the work environment, working hours and job position as well as the amount of remuneration, which would help them to better adapt to the work regime. Employers from all sectors subject to examination frequently emphasize that it is crucial for the successful involvement of graduates in work life that pupils and students acquire up-to-date technical knowledge and skills at school, become acquainted with new technologies and trends, obtain sufficient practical skills apart from theoretical knowledge and above all are able to apply the theoretical knowledge in practice. In the opinion of the employers, this achievement is subject to broadening and increasing the quality of technical practice and education, strengthening and deepening the cooperation between

the educational and employment sectors, and, not least, by providing additional opportunities to teachers to increase their qualifications and technical knowledge. Pupils and students should also be motivated towards more independence, be able to work with information, and be able to bear the responsibility for their decisions and conduct. Although the graduates’ entrance to the labour market may to a degree be marked with the disparity between their present knowledge and skills on one side and requirements and requests of the employers on the other side, there are many reasons that may still lead employers to prefer a new graduate over a more experienced professional. Although the needs and requirements of individual sectors vary to a degree, employers mostly value the graduates’ readiness to learn new things, their freedom from past working habits, interest in the field and working zeal, the willingness to adapt to the needs of the specific company, fresh technical knowledge, and a solid knowledge of foreign languages or computer technologies. Thanks to this preference, the graduates may frequently compete with professionals with more work experience. Employers in the Czech Republic frequently complain of a lack of qualified employees in workers’ professions as well as of the fact that schools are steadily producing a lower numbers of graduates with apprenticeship certificate in technical fields (which has to do with an increased interest in the level of education with a maturitní zkouška examination, a decrease in interest in technical fields and above all, the decrease of the number of pupils to which numerous secondary schools react by lowering their requirements in the admission proceedings), but at the same time they admit preferring graduates with a maturitní zkouška examination to workers’ professions in which graduates with apprenticeship certificates used to be admitted. The reason for this preference would be the higher flexibility and ability to adapt to technological changes as well as an ability to cope with more demanding

Figure 26 Graduates’ careers in their field of accomplished study in 3 years from the completion of the given course of study, in % of responses

70 % 61 %

60 % 50 %

62 %

46 %

46 %

40 %

Apprentices

30 %

SVS graduates

38 %

36 % 31 %

40 % 36 %

32 %

29 % 29 %

27 %

27 %

22 %

20 %

16 % 12 %

Apprentices – graduates of secondary education with apprenticeship certificate Graduates of STS – graduates of secondary technical education (without practical training) with a maturitní zkouška examination Graduates of SVS – graduates of secondary vocational education (with practical training) with a maturitní zkouška examination Source: NÚOV

10 %

11 %

0% after graduation

actual situation after 3 years

intent

In the professional field

actual situation after 3 years

intent

In a related professional field

actual situation after 3 years

In a different professional field

Figure 27 Obrázek 18 Reasons for departure to other professional fields – comparison according to the types of secondary schools, in % of responses STS graduates SVS graduates

54 %

Low salary

48 %

32 % 26 %

Disinterested in working in the field

40 % 43 %

23 %

Work conditions

38 % 40 %

Has not found work in the field

41 %

33 % 9% 9%

Other reason

Apprentices

65%

22 %

6%

Graduated in another field

12 % 7%

0%

10 %

20 %

Apprentices – graduates of secondary education with apprenticeship certificate Graduates of STS – graduates of secondary technical education (without practical training) with a maturitní zkouška examination Graduates of SVS – graduates of secondary vocational education (with practical training) with a maturitní zkouška examination Source: NÚOV

30 %

40 %

50 %

60 %

70 %

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

STS graduates

109

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

110

activities on the part of the graduates with a maturitní zkouška examination. A suitable solution may consist in the further promotion of courses with a maturitní zkouška examination of the L0 category, which includes a significant portion of practical training. In the years 2001 to 2006, a gradual increase in the number of pupils entering the first years of these courses on the general scale and in certain groups of technical fields (e.g. machinery) in particular.

7.2 Labour Market Success of School Graduates The relationship between the acquired education and success on the labour market is presently not firmly fixed in the Czech Republic, but as the research shows, a considerable number of secondary school graduates work in professions other than that which they originally studied. On one hand, this trend is a positive reflection of the graduates’ flexibility, as they are able to adapt to the conditions in the labour marker and employers’ demand under the circumstances of development of certain sectors and branches of industry, while there is a general shift in the Czech Republic as well as in the EU towards the tertiary and quaternary sectors. On the other hand, swift economic growth creates sufficient work opportunities which, depresses graduates’ interest in less attractive or financially rewarding fields. This economic growth and the corresponding trend then leads to the situation that employers, especially in the industrial sector, complain of a serious lack of employees in craftsmen and workers’ professions. A more detailed look at the results of the research focused on the achievement of graduates in their field of study and shows that in case of secondary vocational schools and secondary technical schools with a maturitní zkouška examination, a considerable portion of graduates leave right after the completion of their course to work in another field and the departure from the original field also

continues in the following years. At the end of their course, approximately three-quarters of graduates of secondary education are interested in jobs in their respective field or in a related field. The actual percentage of graduates obtaining jobs in their field after the completion of their study is nevertheless lower – approximately 60%. In three years from completion of their course, the number of secondary school graduates remaining in their respective field of study further decreases. The highest percentage of graduates who remain working in their field in three years after the completion of secondary school study may be found among the graduates with apprenticeship certificate – approximately 46% (as shown by further findings, this percentage significantly decreases in further years following their completion of study), the percentage of graduates from secondary vocational schools with a maturitní zkouška examination is 36% and graduates of secondary technical schools with a maturitní zkouška examination it amounts to 31%. In spite of the lower percentage of graduates with a maturitní zkouška examination, they have higher representation in related fields, where their participation is almost 30%. That fact is probably also the result of a broader scope of education provided as a part of the education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination and the ability of such graduates to respond to the conditions on the labour market. The eventual percentage of secondary school graduates active in another field within three years is not too different from any of the groups at issue, ranging from 36 to 40%. Reasons for Finding Jobs in Other Professions The reasons leading to the departure of graduates from certain professions are crucial for both the employment and educational sectors. The findings indicate that there are probably more reasons for changing the professional field, and the graduates do not leave the profession they studied because of a single reason.

in the field represents an important reason for seeking work in another field. It is the most frequent reason for graduates with a maturitní zkouška examination, mentioned by approximately 40% of them. In case of some graduates, the disinterest stems from the fact that they chose a field that never interested them, whether for the reason of not being admitted to another field, because of bad study results or insufficient knowledge of the contents of the field. Study in another field is not very frequent, but occurs most often in the case of graduates with an apprenticeship certificate and with a maturitní zkouška examination. It seems that this group includes pupils with little ambition who originally chose a less demanding study and changed their opinion on the level of education during the course of their study. What Fields Do Graduates Leave For? This question poses a very important issue, since only a low percentage of graduates responded that they have changed their profession based on study in another field or retraining. Therefore, it may be assumed that most of them work in fields requiring general skills or fields in which qualification may be obtained through training provided by the employer or by practice et cetera, rather than in fields requiring specialised technical qualifications. The results do not imply that the graduates from individual professional fields would significantly flows to other fields. On the other hand fields may be determined in which secondary school graduates working outside their field find jobs more frequently. The graduates of STS with a maturitní zkouška examination, who work outside their field, relatively frequently acquire jobs in services related to customer care, working, for example, as consultants in retail and advertising, as the administrators of client centers in insurance companies, banks, as operators of telephone services. They further pursue careers in fields related to quality management (quality technicians), work in warehouses as operators or in logistics. Quite

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

It is significant from the viewpoint of the employers that, under the circumstances of rapid economic development and decreasing unemployment, reasons other than the lack of workplaces in the field play a major role in the graduates’ departure to another profession. The main reasons include dissatisfaction with a low salary and unsatisfactory work conditions deterring the graduates from pursuing a career in the field. Dissatisfaction with the amount of the salary is an important reason for leaving for another profession especially among the graduates with an apprenticeship certificate, where 54% of graduates working in another field mentioned this reason; in case of graduates from secondary technical schools with a maturitní zkouška examination, only 32% cited this reason. Work conditions represent the most important reason of departure for graduates with a maturitní zkouška examination; it influenced the departure of 40% of those who work outside their field of study. Among the graduates with an apprenticeship certificate, this percentage is lower, reaching only about 25%. The higher dissatisfaction of graduates with a maturitní zkouška examination is due to the fact that the work conditions include not only the work environment but also inconvenient working hours, as is frequently the case in the fields of hotel industry and tourism, or difficulties with commuting to work. Apart from departures caused by the dissatisfaction of graduates, the lack of work opportunities in their field also appears as a reason for working in another field, where graduates mention that they have not found work in their field. This reason has influenced up to 65% of the graduates from secondary technical schools and about 41% graduates with an apprenticeship certificate. Nevertheless, this response probably refers to the situation when the graduate has not found work in his/ her field that they would find suitable due to accessibility or proximity. From the viewpoint of the sphere of education as well as in the field of career consulting, disinterest in working

111

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

112

often they take up the positions of assistants, work in administration, as clerks at public authorities or post offices. They also find jobs outside their field in catering services, as bartenders, shop assistants et cetera. In case of graduates with apprenticeship certificate and with a maturitní zkouška examination, the destination fields again include services and quality management. Frequent fields include the distribution of goods and traffic control. The graduates of SVS with a maturitní zkouška examination quite often find jobs as drivers (bus drivers, public transportation), in the field of security (security agencies, policemen) or as technical engineers. It seems that secondary school graduates working outside their field of study mostly follow better working and salary conditions. A part of them find jobs in the tertiary sector which is quickly developing in the Czech Republic and has not reached the volumes standard in EU countries. In some cases, they also find jobs in professions with a marked lack of employees such as drivers or policemen.

It remains to be said in the end that departures to other professions vary as to their manner and are subject to various factors. On one hand, the graduates are leaving for developing fields and professions, and thus it is a positive reactions to the changed demands in the labour market and to rapid technological changes, on the other hand some departures are connected with a dissatisfaction with the salary or work conditions, and it is thus rather up to the employment sphere, how the employees are to be motivated better. A mistaken choice in the field of study and disinterest in working in the field of study also play an adverse role related to the departures. This fact points to the necessity to pay more attention to career consulting. The Information System on the Course of Graduate Careers in the Labour Market launched in September 2007 at www. infoabsolvent.cz, providing a broad range of information on education opportunities and careers in the labour market including multimedia career guide, represents one of the tools designed to significantly contribute to the increase in the level and availability of career consulting.

List of Tables

Table 3: Table 4: Table 5: Table 6:

Table 7:

Table 8: Table 9:

Table 10:

Table 11:

Table 12:

Table 13: Table 14: Table 15:

Nursery schools – Ratio indicators in school years 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . Nursery schools – the percentage of 5-year-old children attending nursery schools out of the total population of 5-year-old children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The average length of education in nursery schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . Basic schools – the development of the number of basic schools, classes and teachers from 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basic schools – basic features of basic school network in regions in 2007/08 . . . . Secondary schools, applicants, admitted pupils in the full-time form of education in 2007/08 (excluding follow-up courses and shortened study programmes) – (1st round of admission proceedings) – according to the type of education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The percentage of pupils admitted to secondary schools out of the number of pupils who completed compulsory school attendance in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The percentage of graduates from secondary education with the potential possibility of further education on tertiary level in years 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . The numbers of schools, pupils, newly admitted pupils and graduates from secondary schools in 2007/08 according to the type of education, excluding follow-up courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination – newly admitted pupils, pupils and graduates in the full-time form of education from 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The percentage of pupils newly admitted to general secondary education courses completed by a maturitní zkouška examination out of the total number of pupils newly admitted to secondary schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The percentage of graduates who attained general secondary education completed by a maturitní zkouška examination out of the number of all secondary school graduates in 2004/05 to 2006/07 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Technical secondary education, schools, pupils, newly admitted pupils and graduates in 2007/08 according to the type of education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The percentage of pupils newly admitted to secondary education courses leading to an apprenticeship certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The percentage of pupils newly admitted to follow-up courses (full time of education) out of the graduates from 3-year courses of secondary education leading to an apprenticeship certificate in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . .

23 23 23 25 29

33

33 33

35

37

37

39 43 43

45

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 1: Table 2:

113

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

114

Table 16: The percentage of pupils in follow-up courses out of all secondary school pupils (incl. pupils of follow-up courses and shortened study programmes) in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Table 17: Education in conservatoires – pupils, newly admitted pupils and graduates according to the form and length of education in 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Table 18: The percentage of pupils newly admitted to conservatoire courses out of the number of pupils having completed their compulsory school attendance in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Table 19: The number of schools and pupils with special educational needs according to type of integration in 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Table 20: The number of children, pupils and students with special educational needs according to the type of disability in 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Table 21: TPSs – the number of schools, students, newly admitted students, graduates and teachers in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Table 22: TPSs – the number of students and newly admitted students according to the form of education and branches of CBBE in 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Table 23: The development in the number of after-school care centres and school clubs, number of pupils attending them and their percentage in the corresponding school population in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Table 24: The development in the number of basic art schools and number of pupils in specific courses in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Table 25: School catering establishments in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Table 26: The structure of children in educational establishments in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . 65 Table 27: The number of students in total, enrolled for the first time and graduates from public and private higher education institutions in 2005 to 2007 . . . . . . . . . . 73 Table 28: Overview of admission proceedings according to the type of study programmes in 2005/06–2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Table 29: The number of applicants, students taking entrance examinations, students admitted and enrolled at HEI in 2005/06 to 2007/08 (in thousands) . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Table 30: The average number of staff (FTE) according to the types of schools and public HEIs in 2005 to 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Table 31: The average number (FTE) of teachers according to types of schools in 2005 to 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Table 32: The average nominal monthly salary of employees and teachers in regional education according to the type of school in 2005 to 2007 – all founders . . . . . . . . 87 Table 33: The average number (FTE) of employees (number of persons) and average monthly salary (in CZK) of staff at public higher education institutions, including dormitories and cafeterias (excluding AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs) according to the categories of staff in 2007 and their annual index . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Table 34: Average numbers (FTE) of employees in regional education and public higher education institutions (incl. dormitories and cafeterias, excl. AF PHEIs and FF PHEIs) and salary resources (in CZK) provided from the ESF in 2007 . . . 91 Table 35: Public expenditures in education in 2005 to 2007, current prices and their percentage in GDP (in million CZK) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Table 36: Regional education – public expenditures in 2005 to 2007, current prices (in million CZK) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Table 37: Regional education – distribution of public expenditures in 2005 to 2007, constant prices as of 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Table 38: Higher education institutions – expenditures from chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in 2005 to 2007, current prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Table 39: Public higher education institutions – expenditures from chapter 333 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in 2005 to 2007, constant prices as of 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

115

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

116

List of Figures Figure 1: Figure 2: Figure 3: Figure 4: Figure 5:

Figure 6: Figure 7:

Figure 8: Figure 9: Figure 10: Figure 11: Figure 12:

Figure 13:

Figure 14:

The number of children in pre-primary education institutions with regard to the population of 3 to 5-year-olds in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . 23 Basic schools – the development of the number of pupils per school in the first and second stage and in total in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Basic schools – the development of the number of pupils per class in the first and second stage and in total in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Basic schools – the development of the number of pupils per teacher in the first and second stage and in total in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Basic schools – the percentage of pupils leaving the fifth and seventh grades of basic schools for 6 and 8-year gymnázia and 8-year conservatoire in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 The percentage of secondary school pupils out of population of 15 to 18-year-olds in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 The percentage of pupils newly admitted to general secondary education courses completed by a maturitní zkouška examination out of the total number of pupils newly admitted to secondary schools in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 The number of children integrated individually and in special classes at nursery schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 The number of children integrated individually and in special classes at basic schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 The number of children integrated individually and in special classes at secondary schools from 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 TPSs – the percentage of newly admitted students and graduates in the corresponding age groups in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 School catering establishments – the percentage of pupils taking meals in establishments according to the type of school in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Language schools authorised to organise state language examinations – the number of schools, pupils, number of pupils in 1-year courses in 2005/06 to 2006/07 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Boarding homes – the number of accommodated pupils and their percentage in the total number of pupils in the full-time form of education at secondary schools, conservatoires and TPSs in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

65

71 75

77 77

85

85

87

89 99 107 109 109

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

Figure 15: The development in the number of school establishments for institutional and protective care and children educated in them (in thousands) in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 16: Public and private higher education institutions – the numbers of students, students enrolled for the first time and graduates in 2005 to 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 17: Overview of admission proceedings according to the type of study programmes in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 18: The number of applicants, students taking entrance examinations, students admitted and enrolled at HEI in 2005/06 to 2007/08 (in thousands) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 19: The accommodation in dormitories of higher education institutions in 2005/06 to 2007/08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 20: The average nominal monthly salary of employees and teachers (all founders) in comparison with the salary of employees in the non-entrepreneurial sector in 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 21: The average nominal monthly salary of employees and teachers (founders MEYS, municipality, and region) in comparison with the salary of staff in the non-entrepreneurial sector in 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 22: The average real monthly salary of employees and teachers in regional education for all founders in comparison with the real salary of employees in the non-entrepreneurial sector in 2005 to 2007 (consumer price index for 2005 = 100%) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 23: Average nominal and real salaries of academic staff paid from the state budget in comparison with the salary in the Czech Republic in 2005 to 2007 (consumer price index for 2005 = 100%) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 24: Regional education – annual unit expenditures per child/pupil/student in 2005 to 2007, constant prices as of 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 25: Reasons for the admission of graduates in the sectors of national economy . . . . Figure 26: Graduates’ careers in their field of accomplished study in 3 years from the completion of the given course of study, in % of responses . . . . . . . . . . Figure 27: Reasons for departure to other professional fields – comparison according to the types of secondary education, in % of responses . . . . . . . . . . . .

117

Organisation of the Education System in the Czech Republic 2008/2009 Ph.D., Th.D. ISCED 6 HEIs Doctoral study programmes

3–4 Mgr., Ing., … ISCED 5A HEIs follow-up Master study programmes 3 1–2

Mgr., Ing., MUDr., MVDr., MDDr. …

Age 24 23 22 21 20 19

ISCED 5A

Bc.

DiS.

ISCED 5A ISCED 5A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS Master study programmes 5 4

6

ISCED 5A

ISCED 5B ISCED 5B TERTIARY PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS 3 3,5

Bachelor study programmes 4 3

precondition: school-leaving exam

ISCED 4A shortened courses with school-leaving exam 1–2 Age 20 19 18 17 16

5B 13 12 11 10

15 14

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

6

3 Note:

SECONDARY SCHOOLS and CONSERVATOIRES incl. schools for pupils with special educational needs

Grade

15

11 10

ISCED 4A follow-up courses 2

ISCED 4C shortened courses with apprenticeship certificate 1–1,5

ISCED 3A SECONDARY EDUCATION WITH SCHOOL-LEAVING EXAM general fields other fields

5B 3B CONSERVATOIRES 3B 8

6

8

6

4

ISCED 3C

ISCED 3C ISCED 2C/3C SECONDARY EDUCATION 2 1

SECONDARY EDUCATION WITH APPRENTICESHIP CERTIFICATE 3 2

4

10th grade for pupils with special educational needs 6 8

8

2nd stage ISCED 2A BASIC SCHOOLS incl. schools for pupils with special educational needs 1st stage ISCED 1 9

Compulsory school attendance

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

118

9

2nd stage (7th–10th grade) ISCED 2C SPECIAL BASIC SCHOOLS 1st stage (1st–6th grade) ISCED 1 10

NURSERY SCHOOLS inc. schools for pupils with special educational needs, preparatory stage of special basic schools, preparatory classes of basic schools for socially disadvantaged pupils ISCED 0 final examination final examination with apprenticeship certificate school-leaving examination* absolutorium

state examination, state rigorous examination doctoral examination basics of education basic education

* Pupils of conservatoires can sit for a school-leaving examination also, but no sooner than after 4th grade, in the field of dance after 8th grade.

next educational level labour market admission procedure Source: IIE

The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) is an instrument suitable for compiling statistics on education internationally. It covers two crossclassification variables: levels and fields of education with the complementary dimensions of general/vocational/ pre-vocational orientation and educational/labour market destination. The current version, ISCED 97 (1) distinguishes seven levels of education. Empirically, ISCED assumes that several criteria exist which can help allocate education programmes to levels of education. Depending on the level and type of education concerned, there is a need to establish a hierarchical ranking system between main and subsidiary criteria (typical entrance qualification, minimum entrance requirement, minimum age, staff qualification, etc.). ISCED 0: Pre-primary education Pre-primary education is defined as the initial stage of organised instruction. It is school- or centre-based and is designed for children aged at least 3 years ISCED 1: Primary education This level begins between 5 and 7 years of age, is compulsory in all countries and generally lasts from four to six years. ISCED 2: Lower secondary education It continues the basic programmes of the primary level, although teaching is typically more subject-focused. Usually, the end of this level coincides with the end of compulsory education.

1 http://unescostat.unesco.org/en/pub/pub0.htm

ISCED 3: Upper secondary education This level generally begins at the end of compulsory education. The entrance age is typically 15 or 16 years. Entrance qualifications (end of compulsory education) and other minimum entry requirements are usually needed. Instruction is often more subject-oriented than at ISCED level 2. The typical duration of ISCED level 3 varies from two to five years. ISCED 4: Post-secondary non-tertiary education These programmes straddle the boundary between upper secondary and tertiary education. They serve to broaden the knowledge of ISCED level 3 graduates. Typical examples are programmes designed to prepare pupils for studies at level 5 or programmes designed to prepare pupils for direct labour market entry. ISCED 5: Tertiary education (first stage) Entry to these programmes normally requires the successful completion of ISCED level 3 or 4. This level includes tertiary programmes with academic orientation (type A) which are largely theoretically based and tertiary programmes with occupation orientation (type B) which are typically shorter than type A programmes and geared for entry into the labour market. ISCED 6: Tertiary education (second stage) This level is reserved for tertiary studies that lead to an advanced research qualification (Ph.D. or doctorate). Source: Eurydice

E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C I N F I G U R E S

International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 1997)

119

Education in the Czech Republic in Figures Editors: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Institute for Information on Education English translation: Martina Navrátilová Language and technical editor: Stanislava Brožová et al., IIE – Czech Eurydice Unit Publisher, design and print: IIE – Tauris Publishing House, Senovážné náměstí 26. P. O. Box č. 1, Prague 1

Suggest Documents