Schools in Czecho-Slovakia

In Czecho-Slovakia is full time education for all children. (from 6 till 16 years) Most of children attend public schools, which are free of charge. But there were founded some private schools in last two years (fee paying education).

System of education has like in Great Britain three stages:

primary
secondary
further
Primary education

It is difficult to say what kind of system is in primary education, because this system is still forming. But now over 99% of primary schools is for children from 6 till 14 years. There are some primary schools which are connected with secondary grammar schools in Czecho-Slovakia. On these schools can students of fourth form choose to continue studying on primary school or they can begin to study on secondary grammar school.

Education on primary schools is divided into two stages. First stage begins in first form and ends in fourth form. Education in this stage includes reading, writing, numbers, handy works, art etc. Second stage begins in fifth form and ends in ninth form. There are mathematics, physics, chemistry, languages, and other natural and social sciences taught in this stage.

Secondary education

In the ninth form of primary school the students can choose on which school they want to study. Then they do entering examination. In case that the result of examination is good, they can study there. Otherwise they can study on other school, where their result of examination is sufficient.

There are three kinds of secondary schools in ČSFR.

The most difficult are secondary grammar schools (gymnáziá). Students on these schools are prepared to study on universities. Type of education on these schools is academic. Social and natural sciences are taught.

Secondary modern schools (stredné odborné ąkoly) are the second kind of secondary schools. Objects taught there depends on the school's direction. Especially technical or natural sciences are taught. These schools are quite big (about 2000 students) so they are boarding schools.

Comprehansive schools (učňovské ąkoly) are the last kind of secondary schools. These schools are the easiest ones. They haven't very high level of education. Much time is given to handy-crafts and other practical activities.

Students take a school leaving examination on grammar schools, secondary modern schools and some of comprehansive schools. This examination is called "maturita" and it is one of conditions to get on the university. Students are examined at least from four objects. Slovak or Czech language is obligatory. The second object must be mathematics or a foreign language. Next two objects are arbitrary.

Further education

In last form of secondary schools students choose an university to continue studying on. Then they take an entering examination. If the result of examination is suitable, they can study on the university they've choosen.

There are two types of studying on university. The first one takes 3 years. After these 3 years they get the Bachelor of... (something they've studied) degree. The second type is full further education. It takes about 5 years. (There are some universities on which studying takes 4 or 6 years.) After this the students can take a teacher course (tzv. učiteµské minimum), which is offered by most universities.