Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

Upper secondary education is not compulsory. It lasts for two years (gymnasium grades III-IV).

Pupils who have acquired lower secondary education start upper secondary education. Pupils learn according to individual education plans. The programme may include vocational training programme modules. Pupils can follow the upper secondary education programme in a gymnasium.  

Upper secondary education in gymnasium grades III-IV is organised according to the Description of Primary, Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary Education Curriculum (2015), General Plan of the Primary, Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary Education Curriculum for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 and other legal acts. The Minister for Education, Science and Sport approves these legal acts. The school prepares its curriculum according to these documents. In these documents it is indicated of what consists the upper secondary education curriculum.

Preparation of school curriculum

Each school prepares the curriculum in accordance with the education programmes. The school’s curriculum describes the implementation of education contents, provides solutions on how to organise the education process, how to evaluate pupils’ achievements, etc. The curriculum is prepared by a work group appointed by the head of the school.

The work group is led by the head of school or by a person appointed to lead it. The curriculum is approved by the head of the school by agreement of the school’s council or institution holding founder status.

The syllabus of a subject is presented for two years in general education programmes. The school itself decides how the syllabus will be distributed. The curriculum is presented for one or two years.  Compulsory and optional subjects, and modules are specified in the curriculum.

Individualisation of a pupil’s curriculum

A pupil’s curriculum is individualised according to the school curriculum. Individual education plans consist of compulsory subjects and the pupil’s chosen educational content. Pupils decide which subjects or modules they will learn in the upper secondary education programme. They choose one Maturity thesis. Together with teachers and parents (guardians, caregivers) pupils prepare their individual curriculum. Pupils take into account the upper secondary education programme and their further education, training plans when preparing their individual plans. Pupils chosen subjects become compulsory for him/her to learn. If a pupil does not finish a subject he chose or does not meet set goals, it is declared that the pupil did not learn that subject.

The school distributes the number of lessons earmarked for different subjects in grades 11 and 12, taking the optimal learning load into account. A pupil taking a general or extended course may have more weekly lessons than defined in the teaching plan.

Subjects in upper secondary education curriculum and number of hours

In the 2023-2024 school year, students of grade IV of the gymnasium continue the learning started in the 2022-2023 school year according to an individual learning plan, which must contain at least 8 compulsory subjects to study and the minimum number of lessons per week – 28. For a pupil in schools where teaching in a language of national minorities or in a minority language is legalised, the minimum number of lessons is 31.5 weekly lessons; for a pupil studying according to the specialized education curriculum, the minimum number of lessons is 31 weekly lessons. The maximum number of lessons in grade IV of the gymnasium is no more than 35 lessons per week. Number of lessons to implement the general curricula of secondary education (2011) in the form of group learning in the form of daily and distance learning in the form of daily and distance learning process organization within two years:

Remarks:

* in schools, which teach in a national minority language or teach a national minority language as a subject;

** physical education is implemented according to the general curriculum of physical education in secondary education;

***integrated into educational content.

Number of lessons for the implementation of The General programs of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education (2022) in the 2023–2024 school year in the III gymnasium grade, in the 2024–2025 school year in grades III and IV of the gymnasium. It is intended for the implementation in the form of group learning in the daily and remote way of organizing the educational process.

Remarks:  

* B   –  subject program general course; 

** A  – subject program advanced course;

*** in schools, which teach in a national minority language or teach a national minority language as a subject;  

**** as a freely chosen subject is continued in lower secondary education began to be studied a second foreign language or a new foreign language was newly introduced;  

***** compulsory module of the mathematics subject "Planimetry" in gymnasium grade III (36 lessons); 

****** computer science module "The basics of data exploration, programming and safe behavior" (70 lessons) is conmpulsory for students who choose to study computer science; 

******* the module can be chosen to study in both gymnasium grades III and IV. 1-2 weekly lessons can be allocated to study the module. The duration of the module in gymnasium grade III – 36 lessons, in grade IV – 34 lessons. The student can choose to study different modules in gymnasium grades III and IV. The module program (module programs) prepared by the school teachers is approved by the head of the school.

Teaching methods and materials

Possibility to choose learning methods and measures

In pursuing general education goals, every teacher is free to select the educational methods and measures, to combine several of them and create his/her individual style of instruction. Specific education methods should reflect the actual situation: the needs and abilities of pupils, skills and characteristics of each individual teacher as well as the changing socio-cultural context. The teacher has the right to propose his/her individual programmes and to choose various ways and forms of pedagogical activities. In choosing their methods the teacher must base the teaching process on interpretative rather than on reproductive methods.

Teachers are encouraged to use new computer and information technologies in the educational process. The project method is one of the methods that easily integrates formal and non-formal educational content. From the 2017/2018 school year, cognitive, cultural, artistic, creative activities (cognitive cultural activities) are compulsory, i.e. an integral part of the educational process. The school itself chooses how many lessons it will spend on these per year. Cognitive cultural activities should take place in other environments as well as the school, for example, in museums, open access centres, virtual learning environments, etc.

Textbooks and exercise books are not compulsory learning tools. Teachers can choose sources, videos and audio recordings and other learning tools that promote pupils' creativity, autonomy, etc. The “money follows the pupil” methodology foresees funding for the acquisition of learning tools.

Personalisation of curriculum content

The general curricular provide real possibilities to be involved in the development of the curriculum content, i.e. by tailoring it to the individual needs and abilities of the learners, aligning the curriculum content with the school’s objectives and also the teacher’s experience and available resources. Individual teaching methods are applied in working with gifted pupils and pupils with special educational needs.

Teachers use teaching methods which encourage pupils’ activity and independence, stimulate critical, creative and constructive thinking, problem-solving abilities, awareness of the situation and responsibility for their actions.