Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

The reform of the curriculum took place in follow-up and shortened study, as well as at all lower levels of education. New framework education programmes (FEPs) were gradually published by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. School education programmes (SEPs) were prepared on the basis of the FEPs by individual schools.

FOLLOW-UP STUDY

The follow-up study (nástavbové studium) leading to acquisition of upper secondary education with Maturita examination takes place in separate courses. Some of these courses are similar to those leading to acquisition of upper secondary education with VET certificate, while others are different. The succession of the follow-up study courses and the three-year courses of upper secondary education with the VET certificate has been set by the Government Regulation on the System of Fields of Studies. Two of the follow-up courses are intended for all the school leavers from the three-year courses with VET certificate (Business Enterprise and Security Services).

At the beginning of their upper secondary education, a great number of pupils prefer the option of three-year study leading to a VET certificate followed by two years of the follow-up study to a four-year course leading to a Maturita examination. After five years of study these pupils hold a VET certificate (výuční list) as well as a Maturita examination (maturitní zkouška) report.

Separate framework education programmes have been published for the follow-up study in 2009, 2010 and 2012.

According to the FEPs for follow-up study, the follow-up study is a form of adult education designed for school leavers of three-year courses leading to a VET certificate and represents. Its aim is to develop learners' competencies, which they have acquired in the three-year educational programmes, to the level of secondary education completed with Maturita examination and enhance their professional qualifications. The FEP structure is similar to the FEPs for other fields of education, although some parts are adapted to the needs and conditions of follow-up study.

Key competences in the FEPs for the follow-up study follow-up those set in the FEPs for fields of upper secondary education completed with a VET certificate.

FEPs define binding content of general and vocational education and expected educational outcomes. The educational content is divided into compulsory and optional educational areas (e.g. language education, ICT education, social science education, economic education, vocational education) and circles of contents.

On the basis of which the school elaborates in the school education programme content of subjects, alternatively of modules and other educational activities.

Educational areas

Some educational areas are common to all education programmes of follow-up study:

• Czech language

• foreign language

• aesthetics

• health education

Compulsorily optional educational areas serve to deepen general education according to the needs of the field and to ensure the preparation of pupils for the standardised (state) part of the Maturita examination. Compulsorily optional always is:

• civics and social sciences education

• science education

• education in information and communication technology

• mathematics education, provided that mathematics is not listed as a separate subject

Language education

All fields include the teaching of at least one foreign language, with two of them including the teaching of two foreign languages (Gastronomy and Sports and fitness massage). School leavers are expected to possess the ability to effectively communicate in at least one foreign language in everyday interactions within a foreign-language environment. They should be capable of utilizing a foreign language for basic work-related communication, including managing professional terminology, following work instructions and comprehending simpler vocational texts). Education in the first foreign language builds on the output level of a three-year secondary education leading to a VET certificate, where the school leaver of this field should achieve according to the FEP the level of A2+ of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Follow-up studies end with the Maturita examination in a foreign language, the prerequisite of which is achieving the language level B1. Education in another foreign language builds on the output level of a three-year secondary education leading to a VET certificate stipulated for another foreign language, where the school leaver should achieve the level of A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, and aims to achieve at least the level A1+.

The Ministry of Education can authorise any school (based on the application) to teach selected subjects in a foreign language in all grades.

Information and communication technologies

Information and communication technologies (ICT) education is mentioned in the FEP for all fields among the choice of optional educational areas. The aim of education in ICT is to teach learners to work with the means of the ICT and work with information. ICT is also included in the FEP among the cross-curricular themes. The theme is usually implemented in a single teaching subject predominantly of general educational nature, but its inclusion in other subjects is desirable.

SHORTENED STUDY

Shortened study (zkrácené studium) for acquiring secondary education with the Maturita examination (středního vzdělání s maturitní zkouškou) and shortened study for acquiring secondary education leading to a VET certificate (středního vzdělání s výučním listem) may be carried out in the courses which are also available on the upper secondary level (i.e. in the fields of secondary education completed with a Maturita examination and the fields of secondary education completed with a VET certificate).

There is no separate FEPs for shortened study; the shortened courses are taught according to the FEP for full-length study. The SEP for the shortened study can be developed separately or as a part of the SEP for the full length study. The FEP sets the length of the shortened study in the given field and in the part that deals with the development of the SEPs, the principles for the creation of the SEP for the shortened course.

Among other things, FEPs stipulate that:

• all content areas of vocational education are included in shortened courses

• foreign language education (of at least one language) is mandatory in fields where the knowledge of languages matters for the success of school leavers in the employment market (e.g. in tourism, gastronomy, services and transport). Depending on the school's resources and learners' interests, it is recommended to include foreign language education also in other than above mentioned fields of studies. It is also desirable, as recommended by the EU and as the programme for support of the study of languages of the Ministry of Education, for learners to learn a foreign languages other than the ones they studied at basic school (základní škola) and upper secondary school (střední škola). It is possible to organise the teaching of selected subjects in a foreign language

• Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) education is carried out in an applied form and in relation to the needs of vocational education in the particular field

Example timetable of a follow-up course

Example timetable of a follow-up course according to FEP

From FEP for course 41-44-L/51 Horticulture (Zahradnictví)

Duration and form of education: 2 years, on-site courses

The minimum number of teaching hours in individual grades is 29.

Notes:

1. The framework curriculum timetable of the educational content is the basis for the development of the SEP. The subjects (modules) created on the basis of the educational areas and contents set by the FEP are included into the SEP timetable. The educational areas and contents and the minimum number of teaching hours are binding; the observance of these in the SEP must be demonstrable.

2. The school includes in the SEP at least one of the optional educational areas. The school can include a single discipline from science education. Optional educational areas serve to deepen the general education according to the needs of the field and to ensure the preparation of pupils for a standardised part of the Maturita examination (maturitní zkouška).

3. Disposable hours are intended for profiling of the SEP, implementing the cross-curricular themes, strengthening of the time allocation to individual educational areas and contents, supporting the interest orientation of pupils, and the teaching of another foreign language.

4. The minimum number of teaching hours during the whole study is 64, the maximum number is 70.

5. To make the education successful, it is necessary to set up conditions for acquirement of required practical skills and activities in the form of exercises (in laboratories, workshops, special classrooms, simulated companies, etc.), VET practice or practical training. Pupils can be divided into groups for the exercises, VET practice and practical training, especially for the reason of the protection of work health and safety and sanitary requirements according to valid regulations. The content of practical activities is based on the educational and content areas of the framework education programme, especially for growing fruit, vegetables and ornamental plants and orcharding and landscape architecture.

6. Work practice in the minimum extent of 2 weeks during the whole education must be included in the SEP. Work practice is organised in accordance with valid legal regulations. Part of professional practice can be performed even during the holidays in the range not exceeding 2 weeks.

7. In the SEP, physical education must be included in every grade of daily form of education, with a minimum requirement of 2 lessons per week. However, physical education is typically not included in forms of education other than the daily form, unless it is specifically required by the nature of vocational training.

8. The average number of teaching hours in class per week is determined for each grade (indicator H) with regard to the necessary dividing of the classes into groups. The value of the indicator H is defined as the minimum to determine the amount of funds allocated under sections 160-162 of the Education Act and the Decree No. 492/2005 Coll. on Regional per Capita Amounts.

(Source: Framework Education Programmes for Vocational Upper Secondary Education.)