System of Education in the Czech Republic
Schooling of Aliens in Elementary Schools, Secondary schools and Colleges
Forms of Education
Legislation

Education in the Czech Republic

According to the Bill of Rights and Freedoms every person has the right to education. The Education Act No.561/2004 newly includes provisions regulating the education of aliens. An obligation to prove lawfulness of one’s stay in the territory of the CR is a major novelty of the act. General conditions of schooling and education in the CR are outlined in the following text.

Compulsory education applies to citizens of the Czech Republic, citizens of other EU member states and their dependents, aliens who have been granted permission for permanent stay or visa for a period of time longer than 90 days, asylum holders and asylum seekers (according to the administrative proceedings). Compulsory education takes 9 years.

                                            

System of Education in the Czech Republic

The system of education in the Czech Republic is described as follows:

1)      pre-school level (nursery schools, kindergartens)

2)      elementary (basic) schools

3)      secondary schools

§         gymnasia

§         secondary vocational schools

§         secondary training centres 

4)      learning at language schools following the school leaving exam (students entitled to pass the state language exam)

5)      conservatoires

6)      colleges

7)      institutions of higher education

§         universities

§         other undergraduate institutions 

8)      special education

+ other types of education  (elementary art schools, language courses, adult education, re-qualification/ re-training courses)

                       

Schooling of Aliens in Elementary Schools, Secondary schools and Colleges

Terms and conditions of the schooling of aliens are newly regulated by the Educationl Act. Article 20 of the Act stipulates the conditions of education of aliens in the CR. Foreigners who are lawfully staying in the territory of the CR can receive education in elementary and secondary schools and also in colleges.

The Act differentiates education of two categories of aliens – citizens of the European Union who enjoy the same rights as the citizens of the Czech Republic and other aliens (aliens from so called third countries). Aliens from the third countries are allowed to study in case that they prove the lawfulness of their stay in the CR at the beginning of school attendance at the latest.

Compulsory school attendance is organized in elementary schools, special schools and schools of institutional and protective education system and it is provided for free.

 Also aliens who prove their ability to study in Czech language can study in secondary schools for free. Aliens who study at colleges are obliged to pay the same fees as the citizens of the CR. Public institutions of higher education can be attended by aliens for free under the condition that they can study in the Czech language.

 On the other hand aliens are not entitled to so called free educational services – counseling, educational and accommodation facilities, catering services etc. These services can be offered for fees to the Czech citizens, too.

Also aliens are not entitled to free schooling in the last year of pre-school education – nursery school or to other types of education like art schools, various courses including language courses or so called further education.

The Ministry of Education issued a guideline No.21936/2000-11 which stipulates conditions for schooling of aliens in elementary and secondary schools, and the colleges (including special schools). These conditions include:

 ·        lawful stay in the CR (also persons subject to the asylum proceedings, persons subject to tolerated stay or temporary protection; documents proving the lawfulness of stay are provided to the headmaster of the school on the day of the commencement of learning, or the document proving the lawfulness of the stay should be attached to the application for studying in the secondary school;

·        proficiency in Czech language (elementary education is provided exclusively in Czech language, schools are not obliged to set up special classes providing tuition of Czech language or other forms of tutorial for aliens; EU citizen may request from regional authorities to provide free education enabling the child to be integrated in the elementary school – this education can take a form of the tuition of Czech language; secondary school admission exams are organized exclusively in Czech, whereas upon the headmaster’s decision the Czech language exam can be substituted with an interview)

·        other (passing an admission exam, if this is announced, submission of a recognized document on education).

 The ministry issues an administrative guidance which stipulates the form, content and organization of this free tuition (training).

 

Forms of Education

Elementary education has a form of daily learning. Education in secondary schools and colleges can be organized as daily, evening, extramural, distance or combined learning. Duration of evening, extramural, distance or combined learning can take one year more than the daily form of learning.

All above mentioned types of education are equivalent (pursuant to Article 25 of the Education Act).

Legislation:

Education and learning in the CR is regulated by the following acts:

Act No..561/2004 on Pre-school, Elementary, Secondary, Higher and Other Types of Education (Education Act)

Act No.111/1998 on the Institutions of Higher Eeducation, as amended

Act No.326/1999 on the Stay of Aliens in the Territory of the CR, as amended