Comparative Overview on Instruction Time in Full-time Compulsory Education in Europe - 2013/14

Date of publication: 25 September 2014

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Description:

Many stakeholders in education, such as students, parents and employers have a strong interest in the curriculum. They want to know what subjects are taught in school, whether the curriculum is putting enough emphasis on sciences and foreign languages, and, more generally, they want to know if students are gaining the knowledge and skills they need to either get a job or carry on studying at a higher level. Information on the amount of time dedicated to teaching a particular subject or ‘instruction time’ can be a useful indicator of the value placed on a subject and its relative importance in the curriculum.

Contents:

Instruction time for the compulsory curriculum varies a great deal between European countries

At primary level, the main focus is on reading, writing and literature

Many countries put a relatively strong focus on foreign languages at secondary level.