p17tb85kpn4am1jcl1n5h13maat24.pdf

equirement. It is the job of the teachers to ensure that a child meets
the standards expected for his/her age group. Subjects are divided into
nine fields, with more specific areas in parenthesis:
` Language and Language Communication (Czech Language and
Literature, Foreign Language)
` Information and Communication Technologies
` Humans and Their World
` Humans and Society (History, Civic Education)
` Humans and Nature (Physics, Chemistry, Natural Sciences,
Geography)
` Arts and Culture (Music, Fine Art)
` Humans and Health (Health Education, Physical Education)
` Humans and the World of Work
Schools have a degree of choice in how these subjects are taught,
though tradition means a lot of emphasis is placed on rote learning
and the acquisition of facts and knowledge. Marks are given from 1
to 5, with 1 being the best. One downside parents regularly cite is the
focus on cursive writing and the lack of more creative activities. The
Czech educational system does have its differences and similarities
with systems outside of the Czech Republic. Nurseries, preschools and
elementary schools all have their set of rules for admission and offer
an alternative teaching method when compared to international schools
available here. It is recommended that parents understand the rules
and differences when choosing an educational institution for their child.
be it SecondARy Czech or international. SchoolS
In the Czech Republic’s elementary schooling system, children who
have successfully completed elementary school can enroll in secondary
school. There is a plethora of schools to choose from, depending on
your child’s talents, preferences or skills. As these schools have more
www.expats.cz
focus, it will usually play a major role in your child’s selection of university
education in the future. Secondary education starts with the end of
compulsory education, i.e. when a child is 14 or 15. Broadly speaking,
the system is divided into vocational schools (střední odborná škola)
and grammar schools (gymnázium). Uniforms are not required at either.
Technical schools are aimed at more practical education in fields such
as in technology, business, economics, health and education. Graduation
can end with either the maturita exam or a final exam with or without
a certificate. Most students are enrolled for four years, though two- and
three-year courses are possible. Grammar schools are oriented toward
students who intend to study at a university. Graduation from a grammar
school ends with the completion of the maturita exam. Enrollment at
a grammar school usually begins with the completion of elementary
school. However, a student can try to enroll when he/she is 11 or 13, for
an eight- or six-year course.
Entrance criteria for both grammar schools and technical schools
vary: admission can either be based on an entrance exam, school results
or a combination of both. If you have a school in mind, you can check
its website. If the information isn’t in English, look under either přijímací
řízení (entrance procedure) or přijímací zkoušky (entrance exams). Firstly,
you will find out whether an exam is necessary. Some schools do not
have an entrance exam or they waive it if the applicant has a high grade
average. If they do have exams, they will tell you when and how to enroll
and when the exam takes place. Also, check if the school uses exams by
Scio, a firm which, among other activities, prepares exams for schools.
They have information about the entrance exams they prepare on their
Web site at Scio.cz. Yes, it’s in Czech, but if your child is going into
the Czech education system, they will have to know the language. As
mentioned before, grammar schools and some technical schools lead
to the maturita exam, the passing of which is necessary for entry into
university. The exam has two components, written and oral. A student
has two compulsory exams: one in the Czech language and the other in
a foreign language or mathematics. They can then choose a maximum of
three other subjects to have the exam in.
expats.cz survival guide | 99
education