2022

Education of Ukrainian pupils in the Czech Republic

Ukrainian citizens who have been granted the temporary protection have the access to education in nursery, basic, upper secondary and tertiary professional schools as well as education in conservatoires according to the Education Act as the Czech citizens. For children from 6 to 15 years, the compulsory school attendance applies if they stay on the territory of the Czech Republic for more than 90 days; the newly arrived pupils have the right to free preparation for their integration into basic education, including Czech language teaching. (Similar rules apply to compulsory pre-primary education.) Foreigners at all educational levels can be provided by the support measures of the linguistic or other nature. For an overview of the education of foreigners according to the Education Act, see the section Specific support measures – foreigners.

In the response to the Ukrainian crisis, three laws have been adopted, in force from 21 March 2022 to 31 March 2023. With some exceptions, they apply only to Ukrainian citizens holding the temporary protection. Act no. 65/2022 sets the conditions for granting the status of persons with temporary protection and providing health services, Act no. 66/2022 concerns the employment and social protection (incl. care for children in the children´s groups). Act no. 67/2022 implements measures in education:

• It possible to increase the capacity of a school temporarily, at the same time it is not necessary to meet all space conditions (e.g. it is possible to teach in other than school buildings). 

• In the event that the school head is not able to admit a child to a nursery or basic school during the school year, a procedure is laid down for ensuring a place in another school.

• For the next school year, a separate term for the enrolment of the Ukrainian children to nursery and basic schools was set (from 1 June to 15 July). 

• The applicants can be admitted not only to the higher years but also in the first year of an upper secondary school, a conservatoire or a tertiary professional school. As far as the admission procedure to upper secondary schools for the next school year, following applies: The deadline for the submission of an application was prolonged to 5 (fields with Maturity examination) or 8 April. The time both for the common and school examination was extended by 25 %. The applicants can take common examination in Mathematics in Ukrainian or in English. (In addition, at all educational levels, the standard option to replace the examination in Czech language and literature by an interview applies.)

• The document proving the prior education can be replaced by a solemn declaration. 

• In order to adapt the children, pupils and students the content of education can be modified/replaced for them for the time strictly necessary. In classes/groups, in which exclusively Ukrainians are educated (not only those with temporary protection), a pedagogical worker who did not prove the knowledge of the Czech language may work until 31 August 2022.

Methodological support for the education of foreigners is provided by the National Pedagogical Institute (NPI) via the website cizinci.npi.cz. The NPI provides for example interpretation and translation services or the services of the adaptation coordinator. In response to actual situation, the NPI created specific website ukrajina.npi.cz, focused on the support for Ukrainian pupils. Summary of the methodological documents, other information and useful links is available at the portal edu.cz/ukrajina, administrated by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

The funding of the education of the Ukrainian pupils and support provided on the basis of the school legislation should be covered by the common funding of schools from  the state budget. In addition, various grants for particular support activities are being prepared. Schools can also draw funds from the National Recovery Plan.

Other educational and supporting projects are carried out outside the education system. Various organisations (e.g. municipalities, regions, family centres, companies as well as schools and school facilities) run the so-called adaptation groups, which may facilitate integrating the pupils into schools. Financing by grants is planned. The endowment fund Children of Ukraine carries out the project “Ukrainian single classes” in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, Embassy of Ukraine and other institutions. The instruction is provided in the Ukrainian language according to the Ukrainian curriculum. It is a temporary project for persons who are expected to return to Ukraine soon.

Compulsory education: changes in education of pupils-foreigners

Within compulsory education, some existing measures have been updated concerning the requirement for inclusion of pupils-foreigners to basic education.

Changes are based on an amendment to the Decree on Basic Education, specifically education in language training groups. The rules have been specified for including of schools in the list of schools designated for the language training of pupils-foreigners, the conditions for pupils to be included in the language training and the way in which schools provide it. The length of language training was extended to 100-200 hours within at maximum 10 months of instruction.

In relation with these changes, methodological materials were published, which are available on the website cizinci.npi.cz, administered by the National Pedagogical Institute. In line with the changes methodological measures for basic schools were issued. Teachers have at their disposal the Curriculum of Czech as a Second Language for Basic Education.

In basic education, language training is newly financed from the region's reserve for education. Language support for foreigners who do not meet the conditions of the decree and pupils with different mother tongues can be financed, for example, through support measures for pupils with special educational needs or within various projects.

For more information, see Specific support measures – foreigners.

2021

National tutoring plan

Within the National Recovery Plan and its pillar focused on education and the labour market, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic responds to the negative effects of the failure of on-site teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic by the so-called National Tutoring Plan.

The impossibility of on-site teaching has negatively affected the previous study habits and education of pupils, but at the same time it has also increased the differences between schools and individual pupils. Gaps in education could, among other things, also have a long-term negative effect on the future earnings of current pupils and students. The National Tutoring Plan aims to reduce the negative effects of the exclusion of on-site teaching. This long-term programme designed primarily for pupils at risk of school failure supports all primary and secondary schools and conservatories in the Czech Republic in the implementation of individual and group tutoring of pupils.

The purpose of the National Tutoring Plan is to initiate a broad informal platform of schools and external tutors (whether individuals or non-profit and other organisations and institutions) who will work intensively to provide the most effective support to children at risk. The possibility to use the funds to involve people from around the school will open up new ways to improve communication with children and their families where cooperation has not yet been fully operational. The National Tutoring Plan enables the intensive use of functional tools, including the involvement of teaching assistants and support positions in schools. But at the same time also look for new ways of external support, including the already proven involvement of students from faculties of education.

At the end of the summer 2021, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, together with the National Pedagogical Institute and non-profit organisations, launched a practical web guide (webový průvodce) where school heads, teachers, tutors and parents can obtain the necessary information and inspiration about the National Tutoring Plan.

In the first phase, direct tutoring of pupils will take place until31 December 2021. To cover the costs of tutoring pupils, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has decided to distribute almost CZK250 million (EUR 9.89 million) to primary and secondary schools this year. Schools will receive these funds through the regional authorities at the turn of September and October. Tutoring will take place outside of class and tutors will be paid for it. The amount of funding received by basic schools and lower levels of multi-year general secondary schools and conservatories depends on the total number of pupils in the school and other criteria. One of them is, for example, the proportion of problematic children involved in distance education (based on the Czech School Inspectorate survey). These funds range from CZK 148 to CZK 740 per pupil. Secondary schools and conservatories will then receive funds for tutoring and supporting needy pupils in their final years (CZK 148 per pupil).

2022 update:

The second phase is under way from January to August 2022. This phase is financed from the budget of the National Recovery Plan, in the total amount of CZK 360 million (EUR 14.2 m) for public schools. The amount of funds depends on the number of disadvantaged and disadvantaged "lagging" pupils and other pupils in need of support (with different levels of per capita amount). Tutoring criteria are recommended for the selection of pupils directly at the school. Some conditions are different from the previous period: The funds can no longer be used for social activities. Finance can now be used in all years of upper secondary schools and conservatories. Schools have an obligation to inform the public about the sources of funding. Only remuneration from agreements on work performed outside the employment can be covered. Additional funds will be provided in the periods September-December 2022 and January-August 2023.

A grant call for private and church schools (dotační výzva pro soukromé a církevní školy) and a grant call for non-governmental non-profit organisations (dotační výzva pro nestátní neziskové organizace) were announced separately.

Revision of curricular documents for the subject of informatics in basic education

In connection with the Strategy for Education Policy of the Czech Republic until 2030 (Strategie 2030+), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports decided on the need to revise curricular documents, so-called Framework Education Programmes. In this context, the area of informatics and information and communication technologies is currently undergoing the most significant change. The changes concern, resp. they will cover all levels of education from nursery schools to upper secondary schools (i.e. ISCED 0-3).  So far, the reform has made the most progress at primary and lower secondary level, as basic schools can start teaching according to the new informatics/ computer science curriculum as early as 1.9 2021. However, the obligation to teach according to revised documents for basic schools does not begin until 2023 at the 1st stage (i.e. primary level) and a year later at the 2nd stage (i.e. lower secondary level) of basic schools. 

Unlike the current educational content of ICT in basic schools, which emphasized the ability to use computers and information and digital literacy, this "new informatics" focuses primarily on the development of computational thinking and understanding the principles of how digital technologies work. The new informatics is based on active approach in which students use informatics procedures and concepts - algorithms, coding, modelling, etc. Understanding how digital technologies work also contributes to their effective, safe and ethical use. The reform also introduces the inclusion of a new key competence - digital - and significantly strengthens the instruction time of informatics at ISCED levels 1 and 2.

Focus of new informatics:

In primary education, pupils, through games, experiments, discussions and other activities, form their first ideas about the ways in which data and information can be recorded and discover the IT aspects of the world around them. They gradually develop the ability to describe the problem, analyse it and find a solution. In a suitable programming environment, they verify algorithmic procedures and form the basis for understanding computer concepts. It also includes the safe handling of technologies and the acquisition of skills and habits that lead to the prevention of risky behaviour. Even at lower secondary level, students create, experiment, test their hypotheses, discover, actively seek, design and verify various solutions, discuss with others and thus deepen and develop an understanding of basic computer science concepts and principles of digital technology. When analysing a problem, they choose which aspects can be neglected and which are essential for its solution. They learn to create, formally write and systematically assess procedures suitable for automation, and process large and inconsistent data sets. Pupils understand the basic principles of coding, modelling, learn to test prototypes and their gradual improvement as a natural part of design and development in information technology. They consider and verify the impacts of the proposed solutions on individuals, society, the environment.

Temporary changes in enrolment proceedings and VET final and Maturita examinations in 2021

In connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports issued series of biding „general measures“ adjusting the scope and course of the enrolment proceedings and some examinations at upper secondary schools (střední školy) and conservatoires (konzervatoře). Following changes are the most important:

• Common admission examination (jednotná přijímací zkouška): The term for holding the examination has been moved to 3 and 4 May (four-year and follow-up fields) and 5 and 6 May (multi-year secondary general schools) and the time for the tests has been prolonged (Czech language and literature – 70 min, Mathematics and its applications – 85 min). In four-year and follow-up fields of study, the school head of the upper secondary school can decide that the common examination will not be organised. In such a case, he/she should include a school admission examination (except for cases when the number of admitted pupils exceeds the number of applicants). In multi-year secondary general schools (víceletá gymnázia), the common admission examinations are obligatory even this year. 

• Aptitude test (talentová zkouška): The term for holding the aptitude test has been extended in the art fields of upper secondary schools and in conservatoires (from 2 to 31 January 2021) and in sports training secondary general schools (from 2 January to 19 May 2021). 

• VET final examination (závěrečná zkouška) in the fields with VET certificate (výuční list): The composition of the VET final examinations has been modified – the practical examination must be organised, in addition, the school head chooses between an oral or a written examination. The school must use the unified assignments; however, it can be adopted to the extent necessary. The term of the examinations has been prolonged to 31 August 2021.

• Maturita examination (maturitní zkouška): The written examination from the Czech language and literature and Foreign language has been removed from the Maturita examination scheme, the oral exams from these subjects are voluntary. For the didactic tests, the time limit has been increased (Czech language and literature 85 min, Foreign language 110 min and Mathematic and its applications 135 min) and the term for holding up the tests has been moved to 24 and 26 May 2021. The term for holding up the profile part is set from 1 June to 23 July, the practical examinations can be organised up to 27 August. 

The other terms set for the enrolment proceedings were also changed, incl. the fields without Maturita examination. For the full list of the changes and the texts of particular general measures, see the website of The Centre for Evaluation of Educational Achievements (in Czech).

Amendment to the Decree on Education of Pupils with Special Education Needs and of Gifted Pupils

Since January 2020, an amendment to the Decree on Education of Pupils with Special Education Needs and Gifted Pupils has been in force, the aim of which is to streamline the provision of pedagogical intervention. It serves mainly to support the education of a pupil with special education needs in subjects where it is necessary to strengthen his/her education, to compensate for insufficient home preparation for teaching and to develop the pupil's learning style (usually by so-called tutoring). Until now, this support was provided within the 2nd to 5th level measures, whereas now it is a 1st level measure and can therefore be implemented by the school itself (it is then provided by the basic school, the after-school centre, the school club or the upper secondary school). Therefore, even pupils who are not currently clients of a school guidance and counselling facility, have not yet been diagnosed with special education needs and still need a support (e.g. pupils from a socially disadvantaged environment, with the health impairment/disability) should now be able to achieve the support through pedagogical intervention. Furthermore, the administrative burden should be reduced and, conversely, the ability to respond operatively to the current needs of pupils should be increased. In 2021, the measure will be financed by an increase in funds for the remuneration of teachers. See also the website inkluzivne.cz (in Czech).

New Strategy for Education Policy of the Czech Republic 2030+ approved

On 19 October, the government approved the Strategy for Education Policy of the Czech Republic 2030+ (hereinafter referred to as the “Strategy 2030+ ”), which sets out the direction of education development and investment priorities for the next ten years (see also Ongoing reforms and policy initiatives). The aim is to modernise the education system of the Czech Republic in the field of regional education, leisure time activities and non-formal education and lifelong learning. The Strategy 2030+ has two main strategic objectives:

• Strategic objective 1: "Focus education more on acquiring the competences needed for active civic, professional and personal life" addresses the need to adapt education to long-term trends such as digitisation or climate change, and the associated support for content and education innovations.

• Strategic objective 2: "Reduce inequalities in access to quality education and enable the maximum development of the potential of children, pupils and students" reflects the need to provide fair opportunities for access to quality education for all pupils, support individualisation of teaching and implementation of teaching methods enabling the education of diverse groups.

The strategic objectives will be implemented through five strategic lines, which indicate how to achieve the goals. The implementation of the strategy will take place in three periods: 2020-2023, 2023-2027 and 2027-2031. In each of the defined periods, implementation will be based on the identification of five key measures that have the most significant potential to contribute to the fulfillment of the objectives of the Strategy 2030+ itself. These key measures will then be processed into separate measure cards with a defined structure. The cards of key measures for the period 2020–2030 are an annex to the Strategy 2030+.

Strategic lines of the Strategy 2030+:

1. The strategic line "Changing the content, methods and evaluation of education" focuses on the development of those elements of the education system that will enable students to acquire competencies usable in personal, civic and professional life. This transformation will take place through the revision of education programmes and support for their implementation. Competence access to education will be strengthened and the EU Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning will be taken into account. Individualisation in education will be supported. The education system will support innovation and there will also be changes in the evaluation system, where the achievement of outputs will be verified at key points, as well as changes in the unified entrance examination for upper secondary education and the unified Maturita examination. The strategy also focuses on supporting the digitalisation of education, specifically the digital literacy of pupils, the digital competences of all teachers and reducing inequalities and preventing the digital gap. The strategy also addresses the areas supporting civic and environmental education. It is also important to promote the climate in schools and the well-being of pupils. In the field of vocational education, it will focus, among other things, on the innovation of the system of fields of education. The strategy also addresses non-formal education and lifelong learning.

• The first strategic line is followed by the implementation card "Support for pre-primary education", specifically as part of the support of educational content in pre-primary education.

• Furthermore, by the implementation card "Revision of the Framework Education Programme of Basic Education and the system of methodological support for schools and teachers", which aims not only to revise the educational content itself, but also support its implementation and support the teachers, but also, for example, the experimental verification of combined education in basic schools.

• The first strategic line is also followed by the implementation card "Innovation of the system of fields of education", the aim of which is to modernise the system of vocational fields of education, and thus facilitate the transition of school leavers to the labour market. It also wants to support acquiring qualifications already during the studies.

2. The second strategic line is "Equal access to quality education". The basic starting point for strengthening equal access to education is to ensure comparable and high-quality teaching in all schools. For many reasons, it is beneficial for society that all children, regardless of their personal characteristics or the socio-economic conditions in which they live, are educated together in high-quality basic schools throughout compulsory schooling. This brings both stronger social cohesion and civic engagement, as well as greater flexibility in professional careers, which, among other things, reduces the future risk of unemployment. Equal access to quality education will be strengthened, inter alia, by reducing external differentiation by improving the quality of lower secondary education in basic schools and reducing the differentiation of external educational pathways, but also by reducing disparities and segregation or strengthening cooperation with at-risk families and disadvantaged children.

• The second strategic line is, among other things, connected with the implementation card "Support for pre-primary education", specifically within the support of increasing participation in pre-primary education, which is closely linked to maximising the educational potential of pupils. It is also about preventing early school leaving and acquiring the necessary competencies for professional, personal and civic life. It is necessary to focus specifically on compulsory pre-primary education, which is not attended by all children, especially those from groups at risk of future school failure.

• The second strategic line is also followed by the implementation card "Improving the quality of education in structurally disadvantaged regions". Its goal is to increase the quality of education in structurally disadvantaged regions with an emphasis on increasing children's participation in pre-primary education, methodological support for schools educating a high proportion of socially disadvantaged pupils and organising bodies of these schools. Its measures include comprehensive support for schools in municipalities with a higher proportion of children and pupils at risk of social exclusion in the Karlovy Vary and Ústí nad Labem regions, reducing segregation in basic education, increasing children's participation in pre-primary education in these regions and the targeted financial support of recent graduates’ teaching practice in schools also within these two regions.

3. The third strategic line "Support for pedagogical staff" is devoted to a system of comprehensive professional training and support, within which the competence profile of teachers will be created, the concept of further education of pedagogical staff and methodological support will be changed, the attractiveness of the teaching profession will be supported and the system to support the beginning teachers will be created. It will also be crucial to strengthen the role of the school head as an educational leader. The educational work of schools will be supported by providing conditions for joint education, the school's specialised activities will also be analysed and the well-being of teachers will be supported.

• The third strategic line is to some extent cross-sectional. Its direct connection to the implementation documents is, for example, in the implementation card "Support for pre-primary education", which contains measures to support teachers and school management in pre-primary education or in the implementation card "Revision of Framework Education Programme for Basic Education and methodological support system for schools and teachers", which also contains measures to support teachers, which is specifically focused on their support in working with revised educational content.

• The third strategic line is also connected with the implementation card "Improving the quality of education in structurally disadvantaged regions", specifically with the measures of targeted financial support for the entry of recent graduates into teaching practice in schools in the Karlovy Vary and Ústí nad Labem regions.

• The implementation card "School Support and Management" intersects with the second strategic line, especially in the measure aimed at supporting the education of children and pupils with different mother tongues.

4. The strategic line "Increasing professional capacities, trust and mutual cooperation" will focus on the concentration of professional capacities, inter alia through the introduction of an intermediate support element. The intermediate element of support in the area will provide targeted support to schools, ensure coordination of their activities in the locality and becomes a mediator in the communication between the centre and territories, especially in terms of mediating feedback of schools in the locality to the centre and providing individual assistance and support to individual schools. The intermediate element will, for example, provide methodological support to schools, legal support in education, but also support cooperation between schools, it will also focus on supporting innovation in schools in the area and their evaluation and dissemination. This strategic line also addresses better use of data and the implementation of research in the field of education. Furthermore, it focuses on reducing the non-pedagogical burden on schools and strengthening information, communication and cooperation across all levels of education.

• The fourth strategic line is followed by the implementation card "Support and management of schools", which will focus mainly on piloting the intermediate element, but also, for example, on school management, support for non-teaching work or institutionalisation of specialised positions in schools.

5. Strategic line "Increasing funding and ensuring its stability" will focus on securing funding within the individual strategic lines.

• The fifth strategic line is cross-sectional and concerns the education system as a whole, yet its explicit link can be found, for example, on the implementation card "Support for pre-primary education" in the measure of parameterisation of funding and costs of nursery schools. Its aim is to set up the financing of nursery school so as to support the further reduction of the number of children per teacher and at the same time do not burden the school management or legal representatives with unnecessary administration.

2020

Frequently asked questions about education and coronavirus  

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) provides on its website an overview of answers to the most frequently asked questions (in Czech) concerning measures related to Covid-19. The section with the MEYS answers to FAQs is updated continuously.

Distance education as an official form of education and the manual for operation of schools in the 2020/21 school year

Amendment to the Education Act

In the Czech Republic, the school year 2020/21 will start for all pupils and students on September 1 in schools.

Nevertheless, in August 2020, the government approved an Amendment to the Education Act, which legislatively enshrines distance education as an equivalent form of education. This is a response to the covid-19 epidemic, due to which schools were closed from mid-March and some until June. The attendance in distance learning was recommended but not compulsory.

In case of crisis situations (not necessarily caused by Covid-19) or during the closure of schools by decision of the Ministry of Health or the Regional Hygiene Station, children of the last year in nursery schools (ISCED 0), pupils and students (ISCED 1, 2 and 3) are now obliged to attend distance learning as part of regular schooling. This does not apply to the pupils of language and basic art schools.

The distance learning only occurs in cases stipulated by the Amendment to the Education Act. These are cases where the personal presence of the majority of children/pupils/students of at least one group/class/department/course is prevented. Apart from the above cases, the school head or legal representative cannot decide on the transition to distance learning.

Additional funds for ICT

In line with the above Amendment to the Education Act, the government decided to give public basic schools an additional 1.3 billion CZK (EUR 49.8 m; CZK/EUR 26.120 – August 2020) for retrofitting with computer technology, software or educational programmes. Part of the funds should be used to buy equipment for pupils who do not have ICT at home.

Manual for the operation of schools in 2020/21

At the second half of August, the Minister of Education also presented a manual for the operation of schools and school facilities in the school year 2020/21 (manuál k provozu škol a školských zařízení ve školním roce 2020/2021) issued in accordance with the current measures of the Ministry of Health.

Maturita examination will change in 2021

On 1 October 2020, an amendment to the Education Act will enter into force, which, among others, will change the form of the Maturita examination.

The common (state) part of the Maturita examination will still consist of two compulsory subjects: 1. “Czech language and literature” and 2. “Foreign language” or “Mathematics”. So far, in addition to the didactic test, the examination in compulsory subjects “Czech language and literature” and “Foreign language” has also included a written assay and an oral examination. From the 2021 spring examination period, only didactic tests will be held in all subjects of the common part of the Maturita examination.

From spring 2021, a new subject “Mathematics Extending” (more demanding version of the test in Mathematics), which was piloted in previous years under the name Mathematics +, will be included among the non-compulsory subjects that the pupil can choose beyond the compulsory examination in the common part of Maturita examination. Some higher education institutions use this examination as part of their criteria for admission.

The profile part will consist of an examination in “Czech language and literature” (written assay and oral examination), a “Foreign language”, if the student has chosen it in the common part (written assay and oral examination) and another 2 to 3 compulsory examinations. The number of other compulsory examinations for a given field of education is determined by the framework educational programme. The student can still choose up to 2 other non-compulsory subjects from the school's offer.

Development and Grant Programmes 2020

The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports announced 2020 development programmes. The target groups are the children, the pupils, the students, the youth and the education staff of nursery, basic and upper secondary schools and the school facilities.

The budget for the development programmes approved for 2020 is CZK 272 352 500 (EUR 10.4; CZK/EUR 26.125 – July 2020). In 2020, a certain volume of funds distributed in previous years in the form of development programmes was included in the volume of funds distributed from the level of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to the budgets of individual schools or to the per capita amounts for school facilities.

In 2020, the programmes focus on following areas:

1.  Inclusive education:

• development programme Equipping school guidance and counselling facilities with diagnostic tools in 2020

2. Support for the education of foreigners in schools:

• The development programme Support for the Education of Foreigners in Schools is designed to support children and pupils-foreigners in compulsory pre-primary and basic education. The purpose of the programme is to support Czech language teaching adapted to the needs of children and pupils-foreigners and at the same time, to adjust the conditions for their education (the number of children/pupils in the classroom, the demandingness of education and other measures for successful integration of children and pupils-foreigners).

3. Education and experimental verifications:

Development programme supporting civic society

• experimental verification of Educational programmes of memory institutions in schools

Development programme supporting physical education

• development programme Supporting swimming lessons at basic schools in 2020

  Separately funded are following grant programmes:

• Programme to support education of national minorities in the amount of CZK 15.0 million (EUR 0.58 m)
• Programme of social prevention and crime prevention in the amount of CZK 8.1 million (EUR 0.31 m)
• Programme of drug policy in the amount of CZK 3.7 million (EUR 0.14 m)
• Programme to support the integration of the Roma community in the amount of CZK 19.9 million (EUR 0.76 m)

For more information, see the website of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Rozpočet kapitoly MŠMT na rok 2020.

The new system of public schools funding has started

In 2020, the new system of funding public schools from the state budget, which has been introduced by the Amendment to the Education Act (No. 101/2017, in Czech), is in force. The resources for individual schools are now set by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the regional authorities have only a limited power. The mechanism used for the calculation of the assigned funds has also changed. The main part, intended for educational work (salaries of teachers), newly derives from the amount of financial means for tariff salaries in the given school and additional per capita amounts per teachers. This method allows taking into account the real needs of the schools better than the previous formula funding per pupil. It is applied in nursery, basic and upper secondary schools and conservatoire. In tertiary professional and basic art schools, the amount per pupil is still used. The funds for the non-educational work (salaries of the administrative and other staff) are stipulated differently (amounts per school, external workplace, class, or pupil) for different types of schools. The funds for other non-investment costs (teaching aids, CPD) are set per pupil. The last part consists of funds for supporting measures for pupils with SEN; these are based, as before, on the “costs” of individual measures set by a decree. The Ministry assigns the final amounts to schools via the regional authorities. The regional authorities can increase the total amount within the fixed reserve, but only when necessary.

In school facilities (e.g. the school canteens), the existing system of the republic and regional formula funding is still in place. The only exception is funding of the educational work in school clubs, carried out similar to schools.

Running costs and investment expenditure are in all cases still funded by the organising body (municipality or region). The reform is connected with an increase in the total amount of resources for public education sector from the state budget. The budget of current expenses for schools and school facilities established by municipalities and regions for 2020 is about CZK 148.34 billion (EUR 5.43 bn; 27.315 CZK/EUR, 31 March 2020). This is about 16.02 bn (EUR 586.5 million), i. e. about 12.1 % higher than that approved for 2019.

For details, see the section Financing of schools from the state budget in Chapter 3 and the websites of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (in Czech).

The National Pedagogical Institute offers methodological support in regions

On 1 January 2020, National Pedagogical Institute of the Czech Republic was established, which took on the responsibilities of the former National Institute for Education and National Institute for Further Education. It, among others, performs tasks connected with the creation and revision of the curricula, methodological support, the preparation and realisation of the CPD programmes for the education staff, and the administration of the National Qualification Framework. The new institute is in charge of a wide area of formal and non-formal education (except of the higher education), guidance and counselling, special education and work with gifted pupils. The transfer of the educational innovations from the central to the school level is ensured via the regional centres of teacher support, which have been transformed from the regional workplaces of the National Institute for Further Education. Whereas the prior workplaces offered mainly the in-service training of education staff, the new centres provide also the methodological support of schools and teachers and promote the strategic management in schools and territories. Detailed information is available on the www.npicr.cz web sites (in Czech only).

New calls within the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education

Following calls in the field of education were announced within the framework of the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education: 

• Implementation of Regional Action Plans II: The call emphasis the education of education staff, management staff, mentoring a networking with experienced colleagues, improving the VET education quality, encouraging children´s and pupils´ interest in technical fields, and prevention of early leaving from education. The applications can be submitted from 31 October 2019 to 31 May 2021. The overall amount of finances allocated from ESF and state budget is CZK 3 650 million (EUR 133.6 m; 27.315 CZK/EUR, 31 March 2020). See the websites of the call. Similar calls have already been announced for municipalities (Local Action Plans).

• Inclusive education for socially excluded locations II: The calls focused on providing direct support to schools, on educational activities for public and on realisation of the workshops for various stakeholders in education. The call encourages the regions and municipalities in their coordinating role and cooperation with other subjects. The applications can be submitted from 21 January 2019 to 30 June 2020. The overall amount of finances allocated from ESF and state budget is CZK 700 million (EUR 25.6 m; 27.315 CZK/EUR, 31 March 2020). See the websites of the call.