Every Schoolboy Knows…

First years of compulsory schooling in the Czech lands date back to 1774 when the Empress Maria Theresa introduced a school system reform. Present pupils may not feel very happy about it, however it is a privilege to enter the “Matrix” of the official system of education at the age of five (at the latest).
Every Schoolboy Knows…

Czech System of Education

The first step is to enter a kindergarten, a school for children aged three to six (with the last year being compulsory). Three stage system follows. The primary school is a nine year programme, secondary schools (for students aged 15–17, or 18) include general education institutions as well as professional / apprentice training centres. Some of them are finished with Maturita (School Leaving Exam). Tertiary education allows students (aged 19+ with Maturita exam) to study at colleges and universities. There are three levels of decrees: Bachelor, Master of Arts / Master of Science, and doctoral degrees (PhD). 

Classic or Alternative?

There are both state governed and private schools on each stage of education, including alternative schools. Czech Republic has Waldorf Schools, Montessori Education, Dalton Schools and many more. It is only natural that traditional schools more and more often replace the old-style frontal teaching with modern methods. Pupils do not sit passive at their desks, they get involved in discoveries, collaboration in groups, participation in projects, etc. Classic school has undoubtedly upgraded a lot. 

There are also many ways of supporting talented students "after school", let´s name for example the South Moravian Centre for International Mobility (JCMM), which focused on students of secondary schools and universities.

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school." Albert Einstein 

70 Years of School Canteens 

Official school canteens have always been a very special phenomenon. All schools at all levels of education have their school canteens where both children and staff get subsidised menus in quality and structure strictly supervised and defined by law. 
The first school canteens date back to the mid 1940s as means to see to kids suffering from malnutrition due to the war. A unique system has been developed since. It keeps growing and is being modified by ideas and opinions of children as well as their parents. 

Schools in #brnoregion

#brnoregion offers the full range of schools aforementioned. There is the English-speaking International School of Brno providing kindergarten, elementary and secondary education. It is a CIS (Council of International Schools) accredited school, also accredited an IB World School, member of COBIS (Council of British International Schools), and member of CIE Cambridge. There are numerous alternative schools and since 2005 children may be taught individually at home. #brnoregion offers over 200 secondary schools, apprentice schools and colleges, and students can get tertiary education in some of the 12 universities located in #brnoregion.

"Schoolteachers are not fully appreciated by parents until it rains all day Saturday."  E. C. McKenzie

Thanks, Theresa! 

Czech System of Education keeps growing all the time. Experts keep discussing the best ways to educate children so that they succeed in great competition and high demand of the modern world. The syllabus keeps developing, new and new projects appear, we all learn Inclusive Education. Yet the most significant school reform was that of Maria Theresa made in the late 1700s. It brought compulsory education to all the population and was the basis of exceptionally high level of adult literacy in the late 1800s. Even though the smallest pupils may feel extremely angry with the Empress for her reform, without her we would undoubtedly miss (besides the nationwide literacy) lots of funny teachers’ messages or pupils’ lovely errors. For example a clever comment on swallows: “Swallows are very wise birds. In September, when school begins, they migrate to warmer climate.”

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