Overview of Quality Assurance
Internal school evaluation
Internal (self) evaluation is carried out by educational institutions at all levels including the tertiary level and also by specialised sectoral institutions and authorities including the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports itself. Managers of these institutions are responsible for internal evaluation.
Currently self-evaluation of schools (up to the level of tertiary professional schools – vyšší odborné školy) is not bound by any fixed form. Nevertheless, it provides background for annual report on school activities. The content of annual report on school activities is set by a decree (No. 15/2005 Coll.). Schools also draw up conceptual plans of their own further development.
According to an amendment to the Higher Education Act, the quality assurance and internal evaluation of qualityis an important autonomous activity of every higher education institution. Amendment to the Higher Education Act imposes a duty on a higher education institution to introduce and maintain a system of quality assurance and internal evaluation of quality of educational, creative and relating activities (further “system of quality assurance and internal evaluation of quality” and stipulates its framework (see Approaches and Methods for Quality Assurance).
A proper system of quality assurance and internal evaluation of qualityis one of the conditions for granting institutional accreditation (ability to create and implement a specific type or types of study programmes in the given fields of education). If a higher education institution seeks an institutional accreditation for a field or more fields of education, it has to establish a new autonomous body of the HEI – the Board for Internal Evaluation.
Higher education institutions draw up annual activity reports and annual reports on management. Every five years they also prepare strategic plans (“long-term plans”according to the previous version of the Act). The strategic plan of a higher education institution follows up the strategic plan of educational and creative activities for higher education institutions (according the previous version of the Act: a long-term plan of educational, scientific, developmental, innovative, artistic and other creative activities of higher education institutions), which together with its annual implementation plan is prepared by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
External school evaluation
External evaluation is carried out both in the area of public administration and the education sector itself.
External evaluation of schools (with the exception of higher education institutions – vysoké školy) and school facilities is carried out pursuant to the Education Act by the Czech School Inspectorate through fourteen regional school inspectorates. Evaluation of schools and school facilities can be also carried out by their founder according to previously published criteria.
External evaluation of higher education institutions and the quality of their accredited programmes is carried out by the National Accreditation Bureau (further on “NAB”). Since 1 September 2016 the NAB has replaced the Accreditation Commission of the Czech Republic. The Commission reviewed and evaluated higher education institutions but the decision on providing accredited activities rested with the Ministry of Education. The new accreditation bureau will issue a decision directly, not only give recommendations to the Ministry of Education.
A higher education institution can also ensure at its own expenses an evaluation by a generally accepted evaluation agency. Such agency is either listed in the EQAR register or is a member of the ENQA association. The NAB can use this evaluation when checking the compliance of performed accredited activities with legislation or for assessing the applications for institutional accreditation.
Evaluation of the education system
Evaluation of the education system at regional level is carried out by regional authorities in an annual report on the state and development of the education system in their respective regions, once every four years; they also draw up long-term plans for education and the development of the education system in their respective regions.
The education system of the Czech Republic is evaluated by the Ministry of Education in its Annual Report on State and the Development of the Education in the Czech Republic, including both the lower stages of education as well as tertiary education. Overall evaluation of schools and school facilities excluding the higher education institutions is also carried out by the Czech School Inspectorate in its annual report.
Once every four years, the Ministry of Education draws up Long-term Plan for Education and the Development of the Education System of the Czech Republic, approved by the Government, and once a year updated Strategic Plan for the Scholarly, Scientific, Research, Development, Innovation, Artistic and Other Creative Activities of Higher Education Institutions.
The Ministry of Education carries out preliminary, interim and subsequent inspections of the correctness and effectiveness of the use of funds allocated or contracted by the ministry, through the Czech School Inspectorate and its public administration control of schools and school facilities. It also carries out its own educational research and statistical surveys. Other research is carried out by autonomous higher education institutions. Since 1990 a number of international evaluation activities have been taking place.
Evaluation of adult education and training
Evaluation of adult education and training is carried out within the evaluation of the institutions, which provide this type of education. Evaluation of in-service courses for educational staff is carried out by the National Institute for Further Education.
Ongoing changes
On 1 September 2016, an amendment to Higher Education Act came into force. It introduces new rules for accreditation, including establishment of independent National Accreditation Bureau, and a new system of quality evaluation of higher education institutions. For more information, see the section on Quality Assurance in Higher Education.
Legislative Framework
Evaluation of schools (except for higher education institutions) and school facilities is governed by the Education Act and related decrees. The Education Act also refers to internal (self) evaluation but regulates in more details external evaluation of schools, school facilities and the education system. A decree sets out the content and structure of the annual report on the state and development of the regional education system and the annual report on school activities and relevant requirements for drafting long-term development objectives for the education system at national and regional level, including head-in deadlines.
Another decree specifies in more detail conditions regarding organisation of the Czech School Inspectorate and guidelines for inspectors to follow while performing inspections. The performance of inspection profession is governed by the Education Act and by the Act on State Control.
Evaluation of higher education institutions is governed by the Higher Education Act, which regulates both external and internal evaluation of schools. The Standards and the procedures for internal evaluation of qualityare set by a higher education institution in its internal regulations, the framework is stipulated by the Government degree No.274/2016 Coll. on standards for accreditation in higher education. The Higher Education Act sets also the duty to draw up annual reports on school activities and on management. Under the same Act the Ministry of Education draws up an annual report on the state of higher education and the Strategic plan of the Ministry (previously the “long-term plan”). According to an amendment to the Higher Education Act, the National Accreditation Bureau was established.
Legislation and bibliography:
Decree on detailed conditions of organisation of the Czech School Inspectorate
Decree which sets the requisites of long-term plans, annual reports and evaluation of schools
Annual Report on State and the Development of the Education in the Czech Republic in 2015
Annual Report of the Czech School Inspectorate for 2014/15
Government Degree No 274/2016 Coll. on Standards for Accreditation in Higher Education
Government Degree No.275 Coll. on Fields of Education in Higher Education