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SWISS EDUCATION
Even though education in Switzerland was ranked ninth in the PISA list, I would like to highlight some important information and facts about Swiss education. Education in Switzerland has a multilingual focus and is very diverse because the Constitution of Switzerland delegates authority on the school system mainly to the cantons.
Through my research, I came across an online news portal Expatica, which helped me find the strategies followed in Switzerland that have led the country to rank high in the field of education. Let us have a look. I am glad to mention that most students in Switzerland attend local schools that provide free and high-standard education. State education is free, but students may be asked to pay for school supplies, books, and school trips. However, foreign families may consider enrolling their child in an international school so that he or she will find it easier to continue his or her education in a familiar language and curriculum. There are no school uniforms in Switzerland.
The Swiss constitution sets the foundations for education, namely, that primary school is obligatory for every child and free in public schools, and that the confederation can run or support universities.
Although the rules on education are set by the individual cantons, they are supposed to be different based on each individual canton’s education requirements. Generally, some children start their compulsory education at the age of five or six, lasting until about 15, as nine years of school education is compulsory for all children in Switzerland. As I mentioned above, most students attend the local school, so students from different backgrounds, sometimes including linguistic backgrounds, come together. Only about five percent of Swiss children go to a private school.
The school year in Switzerland starts between mid-August and mid-September and has two terms or semesters and around 12 weeks’ holiday (holiday dates vary depending on the canton). Cantons set their own timetables. However, most cantons and municipalities follow the core times—around 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., and then from 1:30 p.m. until 4:00p.m. Primary school days are shorter than secondary ones.
I appreciate the strategies followed in Switzerland and respect their constitution for understanding the value of education.