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DOCUMENT RESUME SO 028 807 ED 420 583 Czech Republic. ReviewS of National Policies for Education TITLE Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris INSTITUTION (France). ISBN-92-64-1 307-1 ISBN PUB DATE 1996-00-00 report on Greece, see SO 028 806. NOTE 188p.; For t. or Economic Cooperation and Development AVAILABLE FROM Organization sion of the European Communities, Head of (OECD), Comm -vice, 2, rue Andre-Pascal, 75775 Paris CEDEX Publications 16, France. Descriptive (141) -- Reports PUB TYPE Information AI Ilyses (070) MF01/PC08 Phu Postage. EDRS PRICE *Comparative F ucation; Economic Development; Educational DESCRIPTORS icational Change; *Educational Development; Assessment; *1 ning; *Educational Policy; Elementary Educational P1 Secondary Educi:7,---7c7?reign Countries; Higher Education; International Ccit5paeion; Program Improvement; *Strategic Planning *Czech Republic IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT lyzes the difficulties encountered in the This report al le Czech Republic and identifies change in transformation of education in' further reform in the needed policies and structures that cokes directions. The book contains two parts with 15 chapters. Part 1 describes the development of education since the political change as rapid and responsive in some areas and less substantial and constrained in others. Part "Educational Reform in the Context of Transition"; 1 chapters include: (1) "Human Resources, Socio-economic and Political Developments"; (3) (2) "Institutional Structure and Curriculum Changes: Quantitative and Qualitative "Working Conditions and Training of Teachers"; Developments"; (5) (4) "Governance, Administration and Evaluation of the Education System"; "New (6) "Conclusions and Key Issues." Approaches to Educational Financing"; and (7) Part 2 is the Examiners' Report which addresses the new expectations for Czech education and training and contains the 11 recommendations for new policies and structures which could promote and support needed change. Part 2 "Human Resources Development in a Transition Economy"; chapters include: (1) "Curriculum "Structuring the Education System for Equity"; (3) (2) "Student Progression and Assessment"; Development in General Education"; (4) "Effective (5) "Reinforcing Quality in the Teaching Force"; (6) "Vocational and Technical Administration and Quality Assurance"; (7) "Recommendations." (EH) Education and Training"; and (8) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** VIEW 0 IF NIKE° AL POLICIES FOR EDUCATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) kt This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this It document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. U) Li) 0 -- CC (-) CC OW_ LU cr CC < Z Z OZ 0 ° ¢O 0 c.) 0 5 Lir cc ur 0 I IL Z 0 CZECH REPUBLIC 2 COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES REVIEWS OF NATIONAL POLICIES FOR EDUCATION CZECH REPUBLIC ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT 3 ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT Pursuant to Article 1 of the Convention signed in Paris on 14th December 1960, and which came into force on 30th September 1961, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shall promote policies designed: to achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment and a rising standard of living in Member countries, while maintaining financial stability, and thus to contribute to the development of the world economy; to contribute to sound economic expansion in Member as well as non-member countries in the process of economic development; and to contribute to the expansion of world trade on a multilateral, non-discriminatory basis in accordance with international obligations. The original Member countries of the OECD are Austria, Belgium, Canada, Italy, Luxembourg, the Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The following countries became Members subse- quently through accession at the dates indicated hereafter: Japan (28th April 1964), Finland (28th January 1969), Australia (7th June 1971), New Zealand (29th May 1973), Mexico (18th May 1994), the Czech Republic (21st December 1995) and Hungary (7th May 1996). The Commission of the European Communities takes part in the work of the OECD (Article 13 of the OECD Convention). Pub lie en francais sous le titre : EXAMENS DES POLITIQUES NATIONALES D'EDUCATION REPUBLIQUE TCHEQUE © OECD 1996 Applications for permission to reproduce or translate all or part of this publication should be made to: Head of Publications Service, OECD 2, rue Andre-Pascal, 75775 PARIS CEDEX 16, France. 4 FOREWORD Among the economies in transition, the Czech Republic is looked to as a "success story". Since the political change in 1989, its economy has shown steady improvement during a period of substantial structural change, shifts in exports and export markets, and privatisation. Levels of unemployment and inflation have been surprisingly low, and the budget is in balance. Stability in the society continues to be a strength, built on newly- implemented democratic structures and processes and a lively political debate. But, further transformation of the economy and society is likely to depend, to a greater extent than in the past, on the knowledge, dispositions and skills of its population. This calls for a more strategic approach for Czech education policy in which broad human resource development, responsive to the evolving needs of the economy and society as well as the interests and aspirations of young people and adults, is promoted and supported. As described and analysed by a Czech research team in Part One of this report, the development of education since the political change has been rapid and responsive in some areas but less substantial and even constrained in others. In Part Two, taking the analysis of the problems as the starting point, the OECD examiners address the new expectations for Czech education and training and make eleven recommendations for new policies and structures which could promote and support needed change. Particular attention is given to quality and equity in education, priorities in the development of vocational and technical education, a revitalised role for teachers, and new structures for improved efficiency and strengthened democracy in schools and schooling. Both parts of the reports, and particularly the examiners' recommendations, were discussed at a special meeting of the OECD's Education Committee, convened in Prague on 14-15 March, 1996. The OECD examiners were: Jean-Pierre Jal lade (France); Peter Grootings and Denis Ka llen (Netherlands); Gabor Halasz (Hungary); and Alan Wagner (Secretariat). This volume is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. 3 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS The OECD examiners and the Czech Delegation 9 Part One TRANSFORMING EDUCATION Summary of the Background Report prepared by the Czech authorities Introduction 15 Chapter 1 Education Reform in the Context of Transition The heritage of the communist regime 19 The role of pre-war models and traditions 19 The role of supporters and opponents (actors) 20 The development of the legislative framework 21 Labour market requirements 21 Influence of political beliefs and doctrines 22 The role of private schools 22 The role of foreign models and advisers 22 The role of public opinion and media 23 Chapter 2 Human Resources, Socio-economic and Political Developments General conditions and factors of human resource development 25 Human resource development and government policies 31 Chapter 3 Institutional Structure and Curriculum Changes: Quantitative and Qualitative Developments Institutional structure 35 44 Curriculum changes in basic and secondary schools 5 6 Chapter 4 Working Conditions and Training of Teachers Developments relating to the number of teachers 49 Teachers' working conditions and salaries 51 Teacher training 53 Prospects for further development 55 Chapter 5 Governance, Administration and Evaluation of the Education System Changes in the role of the state in the governance of education 57 Participants in the governance and administration of education, their functions, competencies and inter-relationships 58 Problems related to governance, administration and self-administration 60 Evaluation 61 Chapter 6 New Approaches to Educational Financing The main changes and new principles in the financing of education 65 Developments and structure of costs and expenditure on education 65 Diversification of financial resources in education 68 Financing and the autonomy of schools 69 Chapter 7 Conclusions and Key Issues Towards a new balance 71 Questions to the examiners 77 Notes 79 Annexes: Basic data on the Czech Republic I. 81 Education system of the Czech Republic 84 2. The influence of demographic developments on education 85 3. Curricula 4. 87 Management/administration of the Czech education system 90 5. Organisation of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport 6. 91 Financing of education 92 7. Public opinion and education 93 8. 6 7 Part Two EXAMINERS' REPORT Introduction 97 Chapter 1 Human Resources Development in a Transition Economy Main features of the transition 102 Moving beyond the transition 103 Implications for human resources 104 Investing in human resources: budgetary implications for education and training 108 Chapter 2 Structuring the Education System for Equity The heritage from the past 113 The creation of the multi-year 114 gymnasium Private education 118 Extending the basic school to nine years 119 Strengthening the four-year secondary programmes 120 Chapter 3 Curriculum Development in General Education The present situation 123 Institutional arrangements 124 Curriculum standards and programmes 126 Documentation and guidance 127 Textbooks 127 Chapter 4 Student Progression and Assessment Progression through basic and secondary education 129 Admission examinations 130 Pupil assessment throughout the school system 131 Reforming the Maturita 132 7 a Chapter 5 Reinforcing Quality in the Teaching Force Managing the composition and size of the teaching force 136 Salary and conditions of work 140 Teacher preparation and continuing development 143 Conclusions 146 Chapter 6 Effective Administration and Quality Assurance Setting the basic goals 148 Educational administration at the national level 149 Local-level administration 150 A regional level? 152 The management of autonomous schools 153 Support services 154 Chapter 7 Vocational and Technical Education and Training The inherited system 159 Changing the structure of VOTEC 160 Modernising curricula 167 Improving the governance of VOTEC 172 Chapter 8 Recommendations Principles 175 Recommendations 180 References 196 8 9 THE OECD EXAMINERS Mr. Jean-Pierre Jallade (Rapporteur) Director, European Institute of Education and Social Policy, France Mr. Peter Grootings Formerly Vocational Training Expert with the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP, Berlin); currently Education Consultant, Warsaw. Mr. Gabor Halasz Director, National Institute of Public Education, Hungary Mr. Denis Kallen Formerly Professor, University of Paris VIII; Professor of Education, University of Amsterdam. Mr. Alan Wagner Principal Administrator, Directorate for Education, Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD THE CZECH DELEGATION Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport Mr. Ivan Pi lip Minister of Education Mr. Jan Kouck9 First Vice-Minister Mr. Miroslav Barto§ek Vice-Minister for Basic and Secondary Education Mr. Pavel Cink Director of the Department of Language Education and Co-operation with Foreign Countries 9 10