School and Education

The Czech Republic

Likewise, the Czech education system operates on three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary.
At the age of six Czech children have to enter nine-year elementary school. Most schools are financed by the state. However, there are also private schools where you pay for tuition.
By law, the school-leaving age is 15. For those willing to continue, there are many secondary education alternatives.

The traditional secondary vocational schools train young people to be bakers, mechanics, bricklayers or waiters. Another option is secondary school (grammar school) prepares students for university and lasts four years or longer if the students have enrolled earlier from elementary school. All the secondary studies finish with a final school-leaving exam in the fourth year, which comprises mostly of four subjects.

In order to study at university, students have to pass demanding entrance exams. Education at universities is free of charge in the Czech Republic. The most popular subjects include humanities, law or medicine studied at Charles university in Prague or Masaryk university in Brno.

In conclusion I would like to say that different education systems have also different positives and negatives so it is hard to say which ES is the best one. What I don’t like about the Czech system is the fact, that too many people are able to succeed in the leaving exams and therefore there are a lot of people with a degree, which in the last years makes it really hard for people with such education to find a job. IMO leaving exams should be harder as well as the entrance exams on the universities.

I would like to study International Area Studies or English and American Studies at the Charles University in Prague but I am also applying for Journalism and French Studies. Charles University is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe. It is one of the oldest universities in Europe in continuous operation, and a top university in Central and Eastern Europe that also ranks among the 1.5 percent of the world’s best universities. Today, Charles University comprises 17 faculties: Catholic Theological Faculty, Protestant Theological Faculty, Hussite Theological Faculty, Faculty of Law, 1st Faculty of Medicine, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Plzeň, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Faculty of Arts (and Philosophy), Faculty of Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Humanities.

Now I would like to say a few words about our school. Jaroslav Heyrovský Grammar School was established in 1994 in Prague 13 – Stodůlky. It has been named after Jaroslav Heyrovský since 1996.

It provides an eight year and four year education for those who pass the entrance exams. Now, there are about 700 students attending our school.