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Guide for Contents
of Eurypedia - European Encyclopedia on National Education SystemsFebruary 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
GENERAL GUIDELINES 9
OVERVIEW 11
TOPIC 1: POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUND AND TRENDS
131.1 Historical Development
13
1.2 Main Executive and Legislative Bodies13
1.3 Population: Demographic Situation, Languages and Religions 13
1.4 Political and Economic Situation
14
TOPIC 2: ORGANISATION AND GOVERNANCE 15
2.1 Fundamental Principles and National Policies 152.2 Lifelong Learning Strategy
15
2.3 Organisation of the Education System and of Its Structure 15
2.4 Organisation of Private Education 162.5 National Qualifications Framework
16
2.6 Administration and Governance at Central and/or Regional Level 16
2.7 Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level 172.8 Statistics on Organisation and Governance 17
TOPIC 3: FUNDING IN EDUCATION 183.1 Early Childhood and School Education Funding 18
1 Funding 18
1.1 Funding of Early Childhood Education and Care18
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1.2 Funding of Primary (or Single Structure) Education
18
1.3 F u n d i n g o f S e c o n d a r y ( a n d U p p e r S e c o n d a r y ) E d u c a t i o n
18 2 Financial Autonomy and Control 18
3 Fees within Public Education 19 4 Financial Support for Learners' Families 194.1 Financial Support for Families of Pupils with Special Educational Needs
19
5 Financial Support for Learners 19 6 Private Education 20
3.2 Higher Education Funding
21
1 Funding 21
2 Financial Autonomy and Control 21 3 Fees within Public Higher Education 21
4 Financial Support for Learners' Families 21
5 Financial Support for Learners 22 6 Private Education 22
3.3 Adult Education and Training Funding
23 1 Funding 23
2 Fees Paid by Learners 23
3 Financial Support for Adult Learners 23 4 Private Education 23
TOPIC 4: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
254.1 Organisation
25
1 Geographical Accessibility 25
3 2 Admission Requirements and Choice of ECEC institution 25
3 Age Levels and Grouping of Children 26
4 Organisation of Time 26
5 Organisation of the Day and Week 264.2 Teaching and learning
27
1 Steering documents and types ofactivities 27 2 Teaching Methods and Materials 27
4.3 Assessment
28 (4.4 Organisation)28 (4.5 Teaching and Learning)
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28 (4.6 Assessment)
28
4.4 or 4.7 Organisational Variations and Alternative Structures in Early Childhood Education
andCare 28
TOPIC 5: PRIMARY EDUCATION (OR INTEGRATED PRIMARY AND LOWERSECONDARY EDUCATION)
29
5.1 Organisation29
1 Geographical Accessibility 29
2 Admission Requirements and Choice of School 29
3 Age Levels and Grouping of Pupils 30
4 Organisation of the School Year 30 5 Organisation of the School Day and Week 30
5.2 Teaching and Learning
31 1 Curriculum, Subjects, Number of Hours 31
2 Teaching Methods and Materials 32
5.3 Assessment32
1 Pupil Assessment 32
2 Progression of Pupils 33 3 Certification 33
5.4 Organisational Variations and Alternative Structures 33
TOPIC 6: SECONDARY EDUCATION (OR UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION) ANDPOST SECONDARY NON TERTIARY EDUCATION
35
6.1 Organisation36
1 Types of Institutions 36
2 Geographical Accessibility 36
3 Admission Requirements and Choice of School 36 4 Age Levels and Grouping of Pupils/Students 36
5 Organisation of the School Year 37
6 Organisation of the School Day and Week 37
6.2 Teaching and Learning38
1 Curriculum, Subjects, Number of Hours 38
2 Teaching Methods and Materials 386.3 Assessment
39
1 Pupil/Students Assessment 39 2 Progression of Pupils/Students 39
4 Certification 40
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TOPIC 7: HIGHER EDUCATION 41
7.1 Types of Higher Education Institutions 41
7.2 First Cycle Programmes41
7.2.1 Bachelor42 1 Branches of Study 42
2 Admission Requirements 42
3 Curriculum 42
4
4 Teaching Methods 42 5 Progression of Students 43
6 Employability 43
7 Student Assessment 43 8 Certification 43
7.2.2 Short-Cycle Higher Education
43 1 Branches of Study 44
2 Admission Requirements 44
3 Curriculum 44 4 Teaching Methods 44
5 Progression of Students 45
6 Employability 45
7 Student Assessment 45 8 Certification 45
9 OrganisationalVariation 46
7.3 Second Cycle Programmes46
1 Branches of Study 46
2 Admission Requirements 46
3 Curriculum 46 4 Teaching Methods 46
5 Progression of Students 47
6 Employability 47
7 Student Assessment 47 8 Certification 47
7.4 Programmes outside the Bachelor and Master Structure 48
7.5 Third Cycle (PhD) Programmes48
1 Organisation of Doctoral Studies 48
2 Admission Requirements 48 3 Status of Doctoral Students/Candidates 48
4 Supervision Arrangements 49
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5 Employability 49
6 Assessment 49
7 Certification 49
8 Organisational Variation 49
TOPIC 8: ADULT EDUCATION AND TRAINING 508.1 Institutions Providing Adult Education and Training 508.2 Main Programmes and Provision in Adult Education and Training 51
OR 51
8.2 Programme or group of programmes 1 (title should be created by authors) 518.3 Programme or group of programmes 2 (title should be created by authors) 51
8.4 Programme or group of programmes 3 (title should be created by authors) 51
etc. (if necessary)
51
Admission Requirements 51Learner Assessment/Progression 52
Certification 52
Teaching Methods and Approaches 52
TOPIC 9: TEACHERS AND EDUCATION STAFF 53
9.1 Initial Education for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education 53 1 Institutions, Level and Models of Training 53
2 Admission Requirements 54
3 Curriculum, Level of Specialisation and Learning Outcomes 54 4 Teacher Educators 54
5 Qualifications, Evaluation and Certificates 54
6 Alternative Training Pathways 55
5
9.2 Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education 55
1 Planning Policy 55
2 Entry to the Profession 55 3 Induction 56
4 ProfessionalStatus 56
5 Replacement Measures 56
6 Supporting Measures 56 7 Salaries 57
8 Working Time and Holidays 57
9 Promotion, Advancement 58 10 Transfers 58
11 Dismissal 58
12 Retirement and Pensions 589.3 Continuing Professional Development for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School
Education 58
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1 Organisational Aspects 58
2 Incentives for Participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Activities 59
9.4 Initial education for Academic Staff in Higher Education 59
9.5 Conditions of Service for Academic Staff Working in Higher Education 59 1 Planning Policy 59
2 Entry to the Profession 59 3 Professional Status 60 4 Salaries 60
5 Working Time and Holidays 60
6 Promotion, Advancement 60 7 Retirement and Pensions 60
9.6 Continuing Professional Development for Academic Staff Working in Higher Education 60
1 Organisational Aspects 60
2 Incentives for Participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Activities 61
9.7 Initial Education for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training 619.8 Conditions of Service for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training61
9.9 Continuing Professional Development for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult
Education and Training61
TOPIC 10: MANAGEMENT AND OTHER EDUCATION STAFF 6210.1 Management Staff for Early Childhood and School Education 62
1 Requirements for Appointment 62
2 Conditions of Service 6210.2 Staff Involved in Monitoring Educational Quality for Early Childhood and School
Education
63
1 Requirements for Appointment 63 2 Conditions of Service 63
10.3 Education Staff Responsible for Guidance in Early Childhood and School Education 63
10.4 Other Education Staff or Staff Working with Schools 6310.5 Management Staff for Higher Education
64
1 Requirements forAppointment 64
2 Conditions of Service 6410.6 Other Education Staff or Staff Working in Higher Education 64
10.7 Management Staff Working in Adult Education and Training 64
10.8 Other Education Staff or Staff Working in Adult Education and Training 64
TOPIC 11: QUALITY ASSURANCE 66
11.1 Quality Assurance in Early Childhood and School Education 67
1 Responsible Bodies 67 2 Approaches and Methods for Quality Assurance 67
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11.2 Quality Assurance in Higher Education
68
1 Responsible Bodies 68
2 Approaches and Methods for Quality Assurance 6811.3 Quality Assurance in Adult Education and Training 69
1 Responsible Bodies 69 2 Approaches and Methods for Quality Assurance 69
TOPIC 12: EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE 70
12.1 Special Education Needs Provision within Mainstream Education 70 1 Definition of the Target Group(s) 70
2 Specific Support Measures 71
12.2 Separate Special Education Needs Provision in Early Childhood and School Education71
1 Definition of the Target Group(s) 71
2 Admission Requirements and Choice of School 71 3 Age Levels and Grouping of Pupils 72
4 Curriculum, Subjects 72
5 Teaching Methods and Materials 72 6 Progression of Pupils 72
7 Certification 73
12.3 Support Measures for Learners in Early Childhood and School Education 73 1 Definition of the Target Group(s) 73
2 Specific Support Measures 73
12.4 Guidance and Counselling in Early Childhood and School Education 74 1 Academic Guidance 74
2 Psychological Counselling 74
3 CareerGuidance 74
12.5 Support Measures for Learners in Higher Education 74 1 Definition of theTarget Group(s) 74
2 Specific Support Measures 74
12.6 Guidance and Counselling in Higher Education 75 1 Academic Guidance 75
2 Psychological Counselling 75
3 Career Guidance 75
12.7 Support Measures for Learners in Adult Education and Training 75 1 Definition of the Target Group(s) 75
2 Specific Support Measures 75
12.8 Guidance and Counselling in a Lifelong-Learning Approach 76
1 Academic Guidance 76 2 Psychological Counselling 76
3 Career Guidance 76
TOPIC 13: MOBILITY AND INTERNATIONALISATION
77
13.1 Mobility in Early Childhood and School Education 77 1 Pupil and Student Mobility 77
2 Teacher Mobility 77
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13.2 Mobility in Higher Education
78
1 Student Mobility 78
2 Academic Staff Mobility 7813.3 Mobility in Adult Education and Training
79 1 Learner Mobility 79 2 Teacher and Trainer Mobility 79
13.4. Others Dimensions of Internationalisation in Early Childhood and School Education 79
1 Global and Intercultural Dimension in Curriculum Development 79 2 Partnerships and Networks 79
13.5 Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in Higher Education 80
1 Global and Intercultural Dimension in Curriculum Development 80
7
2 Partnerships and Networks 8013.6 Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in Adult Education and Training 80
1 Global and Intercultural Dimension in Curriculum Development 80
2 Partnerships and Networks 8013.7 Bilateral Agreements and Worldwide Cooperation 81
1 Bilateral Agreements 81
2 Cooperation and Participation in Worldwide Programmes and Organisations 81
TOPIC 14: ONGOING REFORMS AND POLICY DEVELOPMENTS 82
14.1 Education in Europe 2020 Strategy
83 Headline Targets for Education and Training 83
Country Specific Recommendations 84
Investment 84 The Annual Growth Survey 84
New Skills and Jobs 84
14.2 'Education and Training 2020' Strategic Framework 85
14.2.1 Making Lifelong Learning and Mobility a Reality85
14.2.2 Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Education and Training 85
14.2.3 Promoting Equity, Social Cohesion and Active Citizenship 85
14.4.4 Enhancing Creativity and Innovation, Including Entrepreneurship, at all Levels ofEducation and Training 85
14.3. Specific Ongoing Reforms and Policy Developments at National Level 88
ADDITIONAL PAGES 89
15 LEGISLATION 89
OPTIONAL PAGES 89
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16 INSTITUTIONS 89
17 BIBLIOGRAPHY 90
18 GLOSSARY 90
8
GENERAL GUIDELINES
This Guide for Contents has been updated to assist Eurydice National Units/authors inimproving Eurypedia - the new online encyclopedia of national education systems in Europe
officially launched in December 2011. In addition to this Guide for Contents, two other guides
exist: Technical Manual for National Units, containing instructions and assistance for alltechnical aspects, and an Excel sheet (Guide to the Eurypedia Categories) containing instructions
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on the use of categories in the Wiki tool as each article should be indexed with the appropriate
keywords. Please consult all three guides in order to ensure a quality product.
This Guide for Contents is the outcome of collaborative work between the Eurydice P9 andNational Units, and takes account of all comments submitted by National Units during the past
year as the content of the tool was developed. It aims to help authors define and place the mostrelevant information in the most appropriate place in the Eurypedia online environment. Thereare 14 main topics in Eurypedia, plus additional pages on Legislation, and optional pages on
Institutions and Bibliography, as well as a Glossary page. Each topic begins with an outline
summary of the areas to be covered, with the first article always being an introduction to thetopic.
Eurypedia is in essence a compilation of articles with a specific organisational logic
from a user perspective. Indeed the user will not read the articles in order - like a book - but will
generally seek particular information with the help of search engines. The user will thereforewish to find a complete title for an article rather than numbers and letters representing the place
of the information within a hierarchical structure of information. Coherent cross references
should also help the user navigate quickly to relevant information. This version of the Guide forContents has been harmonised so that it coincides as closely as possible with the structure of
Eurypedia.
Authors should note that headings and sub headings with numbering signal obligatory pages,
while subheadings without numbering are optional. When an author inserts headings on the page,
no numbers should be used, as numbering is created in the wiki automatically.
To facilitate comparability of information, National Units are generally requested to provide
information in a common structure - with the same titles for articles. The exceptions to this rule
concern the topics dealing with the provision of Early Childhood Education and Care, Primaryand Lower/Upper Secondary Education and Adult Education and Training. In these cases,
National Units have the opportunity to provide information within a structure that
corresponds closely to the way in which the level of education is organised in their nationaleducation system.
Authors are therefore advised that, in order to make Eurypedia as user-friendly as possible, they
may not create new pages nor change main headings. However when authors wish toprovide additional information under subsidiary headings they may create such headings using
"format Heading 2" ie the second level of titles.
Eurypedia aims to accommodate the needs of both more centralised and more decentralisededucation systems. In general, the Guide for Content requests specific information on the content
of central regulations or steering documents. In systems where such regulations do not exist, it
should always be possible to explain how the topic is addressed. In these cases, it is also usefulfor a reader/user to learn that there is no information available at "central" level, and why this is
the case. Thus the absence of information is often important to note and explain.
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Authors should also bear in mind that the decision not to include statistical information is a
deliberate choice agreed by National Units. The reason for this is that national statistics are often
not harmonised at
European level, and therefore could be very misleading to readers comparing statistics on thesame topic. Where statistics are comparable, they are provided by Eurostat. The choice has
therefore been taken to guide readers to Eurostat or to national statistical offices/databases. The
exceptions to this general rule concern information on the numbers of educational institutions,where there is no harmonised European data collection, and where country information is
therefore necessary.
Although there are no sections devoted to descriptions of legislation, National Units are
required to maintain and update a specific page devoted to their legislative framework, and tomake links to this page within relevant articles. Thus a new section (using format Heading 1)
should be created at the bottom of all relevant articles with the title "Legislative References".
Here authors should list relevant legislation and create links to the Legislation page. Links to themain sources of legislation should also be made from the Legislation page (an article covering
the legislative framework).
With regard to terminology, National Units should not feel constrained by the terminology used
in this Guide for Contents. Wherever terminology is not relevant in the national context - for
example, if no "teachers" are involved in Early Childhood Education and Care, or no"subjects" taught in primary education etc - authors should feel free to make any adaptations
that they consider suitable.
National Units and authors may address any questions and concerns to Eurydice P9. Efforts toimprove this Guide for Content will be ongoing, and all suggestions for improvement are very
welcome.
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10
OVERVIEW
As the entry page for the national description, the Overview article in Eurypedia should present a
snapshot of the national features of the education system. It also has to lead the reader to relevantEurypedia topics for further information. The article is therefore divided into two main parts
which are followed by two short text referencing to Topic 14 and additional sources of
information. The article includes the Eurydice diagram (inserted by P9) showing the structure of
the education system in your country. Additionally, links to Common European Reference Toolsprovided by Eurydice Network are also inserted by P9.
Part 1This first part should present the education system in a concise way describing:
a) The national specifities of the education system: the author should refer to one or more
features which better define the national education system in comparison with other educationsystems across Europe.
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b) The different educational stages of the education system from early childhood education to
higher education, including adult education. The authors should briefly describe how the
education system is organised by mentioning the title of the educational stages and programmes
when relevant, the name of the institutions which provide education at each stage and thecorresponding ages. The authors should also refer to the length of compulsory education,
mentioning the starting and end ages. The paragraph should be consistent with the informationprovided in the diagram.
c) Administration and governance. The authors should briefly present the authorities
responsible for managing the education system at each educational level.
At the end of this part, the author should add the standard text below which refers to the
Introduction article of the above-mentioned topics.
"For further information, please consult the introduction articles of Organisation and Governanceand of each educational level: Early Childhood Education, Primary Education (or Integrated
Primary and Lower Secondary Education), Secondary Education (or Upper Secondary
Education) and Post Secondary Non Tertiary Education, Higher Education and Adult Educationand Training."
Part 2 - This second part provides the links to the introduction articles of the other Eurypediatopics. Authors should include the common standard text below and provide the hyperlinks.
"For a brief description of other main topics regarding the national education system, please readthe introduction article of Funding education, Teachers and education staff, Management
and other educational staff, Educational support and guidance, Quality assurance, Mobility and
internationalisation."
Note: As the Overview article provides links to the Introduction of all Topics, the reader has
access to a comprehensive and concise description of the education system. Indeed, when all the
Introduction articles are assembled, they form a text which is an executive summary of the entirecontent of Eurypedia. For this purpose, authors should ensure that the content of the Introduction
articles of each topic meet the drafting requirements of the Guide for Contents. Authors should
also verify that the introduction articles are all consistent in the writing style and coherent in
their content when gathered in the same text.
Part 3 - The Overview article should also inform the readers that information concerning
ongoing reforms and policy developments is provided in Topic 14. As this text should be
common for all national descriptions, the authors should use the following standard text.
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"For information on recently adopted or planned reforms and policy measures, please consult
topic
Ongoing Reforms and Policy Developments (the authors should add the hyperlink to the Topic)."
Part 4 - This last part is optional for the National Units. It provides the reader with the
hyperlinks to websites where additional information on the national education system isavailable. The authors should use the standard text below and add the relevant hyperlinks.
"While Eurypedia provides comprehensive and comparable information, further information may
also be found on the websites of XXX, as well as XX and XX (the authors should add thehyperlinks)."
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TOPIC 1: POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUND AND TRENDS
This topic is subdivided into four major sections devoted to different aspects of the social,
economic and political situation in the country concerned. The authors should provideinformation under the relevant headings on the historical development, the main executive and
legislative bodies, the population (demographic situation, languages and religions), and the
political and economic situation. All context- related statistical data can be provided in the
sections where appropriate.
Short introductory page should allow the reader to situate your education and training systemwithin a broad territorial, political, demographic and linguistic framework. Please note that this
part should not exceed one or two paragraphs. More detailed information will be provided
further.
1.1 Historical Development
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This section should outline the main historical developments of your country that have led to its
current political and social situation (including the foundations of the State in its present form),
as well as recent reforms. Authors should also indicate, where applicable, when the country first
became a member of the European Union, or if and when it intends to become one.
1.2 Main Executive and Legislative Bodies
This section should provide succinct information on the role and responsibility of various bodies
(at all levelsnational, community and/or regional or local) and on the Ministries involved ineducation (such as Youth, Sport, the Family, Labour/Employment or Social Affairs).
1.3 Population: Demographic Situation, Languages and Religions
Authors should provide information on land area and the current demographic situation of their
country. This section may include statistical information with reference to official national
sources for the most recent available year, plus 2000 and 2005 on:
the age distribution of the population;
rates of employment and unemployment;
immigration and migration flows;
They can also include information on demographic developments such as ageing of the
population, the degree of urbanisation, internal migration and other migratory movements,noting the most significant facts and describing major trends. Authors are asked to focus on the
trends that might have an impact on
education policy in their country.
In addition, this section should describe the linguistic situation of the country, indicating:
official/state language(s) (those used for purposes of legislation or public administration within
any particular area);
regional/minority language(s) (a language that is traditionally used within a given territory of the
State by nationals of the State who form a group numerically smaller than the rest of the States
population, and that is different from the official language(s) of the State;
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and the non-territorial language(s) (a language which are used by nationals of the country, which
differs from the language or languages used by the rest of its population, and which cannot be
identified with any particular area of the country although traditionally used within it.
Authors are asked to identify the language(s) of instruction (meaning languages used to teach
one or more subjects in the curriculum), and specify whether they are used at all educationallevels.
Finally, authors should indicate the main and/or official religions as well as if and how this
influences the organisation of the education system in the country.
1.4 Political and Economic Situation
Within this section, authors should provide the most significant facts concerning the countryspolitical and economic situation, and describe major trends in this area, including how the socio-
political context is influencing the development of the education system. Statistical information
with reference to official national sources for the most recent available year, plus 2000 and 2005,may be provided on:
GDP expenditure on education as a % of total GDP expenditure;
the educational attainment level of the adult population.
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14TOPIC 2: ORGANISATION AND GOVERNANCE
This topic on Organisation and Governance is subdivided into eight sections, coveringfundamental principles and national policies, lifelong learning strategy, system organisation,
organisation of private education, National Qualifications Framework, administration and
governance at central, regional and local levels as well as basic statistics on educationinstitutions..
The introductory page to this topic should outline the principal characteristics of the education
and training system at all levels that are fundamental for understanding its administration and
governance. Authors should briefly explain the main trends towards centralisation,
decentralisation, deconcentration or deregulation in the governance and administration at variouslevels and/or types of education. The roles of the main decision-making bodies (central, regional
or local authorities, education institutions, etc.) should also be explained.
2.1 Fundamental Principles and National Policies
Authors should describe the fundamental principles governing the entire education system, such
as those set out in the Constitution or in primary education legislation. The main aims and
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objectives of national educational policies should be outlined with reference and links to relevant
laws and/or official documents. More detailed information on lifelong learning strategies should
be added in section 2.2.
2.2 Lifelong Learning Strategy
This section should describe key policy developments related to the implementation of lifelong
learning strategies, along with the main dissemination measures. Authors should briefly describe
the national LLL concept with reference to its historical, political, economic and socialbackground. Please indicate the main goals and objectives of LLL policy (e.g. improving the
quality of life, reducing social inequalities, ensuring economic growth, etc.) and explain when
and why the lifelong learning strategy was adopted (with reference and links to official
documents).
Commitment to relevant LLL objectives and policies set by the EU should also be highlighted.
Authors are asked to describe the responsibilities, coordination and consultation mechanisms
between key stakeholders responsible for LLL in the country. Please also indicate if a nationalagency for LLL has been established. Developments and innovations in educational provision
that are an outcome of the lifelong learning strategy (such as the creation of guidance and
counselling services, regional LLL networks, introduction of flexible learning paths,development of the National Qualifications Framework and curricula based on learning
outcomes, measures for recognition and validation of prior learning, etc.) should be briefly
described with links included to pages providing more detailed information.
2.3 Organisation of the Education System and of Its Structure
Authors should provide a broad picture of the different learning opportunities available within
the entire education system (i.e. pre-primary, primary, secondary, post-secondary, higher and
adult education). Main pathways, including typical programmes duration and typical age ofparticipants, should be described. The diagram - or link - illustrating the current structure should
be included in this section.
This section should also outline the rights and responsibilities of pupils and parents with regardto compulsory education including, if relevant, any special forms of provision that may be
possible (eg home
schooling).
15The main types of education/training institutions offering educational programmes at different
levels should be mentioned, but more detailed information will be included in the topics
describing the particular level and/or type of education.
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2.4 Organisation of Private Education
Authors are asked to fill out this section with information on the fully private and grant-aided
private sectors. The two sectors may be distinguished to some extent. The fully private sector isentirely financed by persons or non- governmental organisations (private law associations),
whereas the grant-aided sector is either partially or entirely supported by public funds.
For both the fully private and grant-aided private sectors, authors should explain how
developed and significant the sector is, and the criteria that determine eligibility for public
financial support.
Authors are also asked to describe the organisation of the fully private and grant-aided private
sectors, specifying whether they are subject to certain forms of state control, and outlining
licensing arrangements.
If there are differences in the provision of private education for different educational levels, or in
its legislative framework and history, the author should divide this section into different sub-
sections.
2.5 National Qualifications Framework
This section should provide information on the stage of development and implementation of the
National Qualifications Framework. The description should reflect current developments in thisdynamic process. Authors should provide the background information on the NQF in the
country, including a link to the NQF if it is published on a website, and describe:
When was the decision to develop a National Qualification Framework taken, and why.
What are the general goals and purposes of the NQF, and how is it linked to LLL strategy and/or
educational policy priorities. Who has been consulted in the process of developing the NQF.Who is primarily concerned with implementation. Who is responsible for monitoring the
effectiveness of the NQF, and how is this done.
The NQF's design should also be described, i.e. the structure of qualifications levels, use oflearning outcomes and/or competences, rules regarding how qualifications are constructed and
described, requirements concerning the quality assurance related to acquisition of qualifications
in the framework, etc.
Please also explain to which extent it is compatible with the European Qualifications Framework
for Lifelong Learning (EQF), and the Qualifications Framework for the European Higher
Education Area. Finally, authors should provide some information on the main problems/barriersto the NQF development and/or implementation.
2.6 Administration and Governance at Central and/or Regional Level
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In this section the author should describe how the governance (process of setting policies and
long-term goals as well as the strategies for reaching these goals) and administration (which is
action-oriented) of the entire education system is organised at central and/or regional level. The
extent to which it is centralised, decentralised or deregulated should be explained. It should alsobe defined what is meant by 'central' and/or regional level (or any other relevant decision-
making level) in the country.
Authors should provide information about distribution of responsibilities and powers,
functions/tasks of central and/or regional authorities (such as Ministry of Education and/or other
ministries, regional councils,
16
etc.), according to distinct levels and/or types of education. This should include, inter alia,information on responsibility for steering documents and financial issues.
Brief details about the organisation of the Ministry of Education and its structure should be givenat this point. In both centralised and decentralised systems it is important to explain the main
responsibilities that lie at central level. Aspects of education on which regional authorities are
autonomous to take their own decisions (such as, for example, establishment of schools,assessment etc) should then be described.
This section can be divided into several sub-sections, if the description of this topic varies atdifferent levels and/or for different types of education (for example, ECEC, primary (or
single structure) education, secondary education, higher education, adult education etc).
2.7 Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level
In this section the author should describe how the governance (process of setting policies andlong-term goals as well as the strategies for reaching these goals) and administration (which is
action-oriented) of the entire education and training system is organised at local and/or
institutional level. It should be defined here what is meant by local level and institutional
level inthe country. Information should also include the range of consultation processes that arepart of educational decision-making.
Authors should provide information about distribution of responsibilities and powers,
functions/tasks of local authorities, education/training institutions and/or their governing bodies,head teachers/teachers/trainers, parents, pupils/students/trainees, the local community,
industry, the social partners, professional organisation, etc., according to distinct levels and/or
types of education. Aspects of education on which local authorities and/or education institutionsare autonomous to take their own decisions (in particular the curriculum, appointment of staff,
time management, recruitment, etc.) should also be described.
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As regards the responsibilities and role of school heads and other governing bodies in the
education system, authors should insert cross-references as appropriate to topic 10 on
Management and Other Educational Staff.
This section can be divided into several sub-sections, if the description of this topic varies at
different levels and/or types of education (for example, General Education, VocationalEducation, Higher Education, Adult Education).
2.8 Statistics on Organisation and Governance
This section should include statistics on the number of educational institutions in different
educational levels and types. Authors should provide a definition used at national level for the
educational institutions covered.
Data should be provided with reference to official national sources. The reference year to which
data applies should be cited and regularly updated in all cases.
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TOPIC 3: FUNDING IN EDUCATION
This Topic covers all main aspects of education system funding. The introduction focuses on the
most significant aspects of the system, and sections then follow for each major education level
(Early Childhood and School Education, Higher Education and Adult Education) on overall
funding, financial autonomy, fees, financial support and private education.
The introductory page to this topic should outline the most significant aspects of national
education financing. Authors should briefly explain the breakdown of public and private sourcesof financing at each level of the education systemfrom ECEC to higher education. This should
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include information on the amount and relative share of public and private investment in the
education system.
If helpful, countries may break down the information into sub-sections on ECEC, Primary (orSingle Structure Education) and Secondary (and Upper Secondary) Education, as well as on
Higher Education and Adult Education.
3.1 Early Childhood and School Education Funding
1 F u n d i n g
For each level of education concerned, please explain:
the main policy goals of public funding;
the role of different bodies in the public financing of educational institutions. This should include
the role of central government and regional and/or local authorities, and the role of any fundingagencies or other bodies;
the different forms of funding mechanisms, such as input-based mechanisms, performance-basedfunding, negotiated allocations and purpose-specific funding.
If helpful, countries may break down the information into sub-sections on ECEC, Primary (orSingle
Structure Education) and Secondary (and Upper Secondary) Education, as below:
1.1 Funding of Early Childhood Education and Care
1.2 Funding of Primary (or Single Structure) Education
1.3 F u n d i n g o f S e c o n d a r y ( a n d U p p e r S e c o n d a r y ) E d u c a t i o n
2 F i n a n c i a l A u t o n o m y a n d C o n t r o l
For each level of education concerned please provide information on:
the extent to which educational institutions are able to acquire and manage different types of
resources (e.g. staff, operational resources and infrastructure etc);
accountability of publicly funded educational institutions, including how educational expenditure
ismonitored.
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18
If helpful, countries may break down the information into sub-sections on ECEC, Primary (orSingle
Structure Education) and Secondary (and Upper Secondary) Education.
3 F e e s w i t h i n P u b l i c E d u c a t i o n
For each level of education concerned in the main section A please indicate:
the extent to which access to public-sector education institutions is free;
why and under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amounts involved;
any differences in fee levels depending on the field or branch of study concerned;
the bodies to which payment is made (e.g. educational institutions themselves, or other bodies).
If helpful, countries may break down the information into sub-sections on ECEC, Primary (orSingle
Structure Education) and Secondary (and Upper Secondary) Education.
4 F in a n c i a l S u p p o r t f o r L e a r n e r s ' F a m i l i e s
For each level of education concerned in the main section A please indicate the nature offinancial support offered to families whose children attend an educational institution. This would
include:
cash benefits (family allowances);
tax relief to cover part of the cost of educating their children (tax allowances and exemptions in
thecase of dependent children);
other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport, healthcare allowances, etc.).
For each type of financial support identified, please provide information on the criteria taken into
account in determining eligibility, and give some indication of the percentage of beneficiaries
compared to the overall population.
If helpful, countries may break down the information into sub-sections on ECEC, Primary (or
SingleStructure Education) and Secondary (and Upper Secondary) Education.
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4.1 Financial Support for Families of Pupils with Special Educational Needs
For each level of education concerned, authors are asked to explain whether there are measures
which are specifically intended to support the families of pupils with special educational needs,and which involve wholly or partially subsidising not only costs related to schooling (such as
books, transport and meals) but also additional expenditure associated with the particulardisability/difficulty concerned. For example, costs may be financially covered by the governmentor public authorities through the reimbursement of specific items of expenditure, such as
transport fares for travelling to and from school, or in contributions to the expenditure of
families, in the form of cash benefits and/or tax relief. These different types of increased familyallowances or financial support for parents should all be clearly indicated. Information should
also be provided on the criteria taken into account which may, for example, include the degree
of disability or dependence of a particular child, or the financial circumstances of the family
concernedin determining whether the latter is eligible for these types of support.
5 F i n a n c i a l S u p p o r t f o r L e a r n e r s
For each level of education concerned in the main section A please indicate the nature of publicfinancial support offered to learners attending an educational institution. This would include:
19
grants and scholarships, including specific support for mobility;
loans, including specific support for mobility;
tax relief to cover part of the costs of education (tax allowances and exemptions);
other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport, healthcare allowances, etc.).
For each type of financial support identified, please provide information on the criteria taken into
account in determining eligibility, and give some indication of the percentage of beneficiaries
compared to the overall population.
If helpful, countries may break down the information into sub-sections on ECEC, Primary (or
Single
Structure Education) and Secondary (and Upper Secondary) Education.
6 P r i v a t e E d u c a t i o n
For each level of education concerned, please provide information on:
Exclusively private educational institutions that are entirely financed by individuals or bodiesestablished under private law. Authors should cover issues of:
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Financial autonomy and accountability - explaining the extent to which private
educational institutions are able to acquire and manage different types of resources, and to whom
and how
they are accountable, including how educational expenditure is monitored.
Fees including under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amountsinvolved; any differences in fee levels depending on the field or branch of study concerned; thebodies to which payment is made (e.g. educational institutions themselves, or other bodies).
Financial Support - including cash benefits (family allowances), tax relief to cover part of thecost of educating their children and any other social benefits (accommodation, meals,
transport, healthcare allowances, etc.). For each type of financial support identified, please
provide information on the criteria taken into account in determining eligibility, and give some
indication of the percentage of beneficiaries compared to the overall population.
The private grant-aided sector that is either partially or entirely supported by public funds.Authors should cover issues of:
financial autonomy and accountability - explaining the extent to which private educationalinstitutions are able to acquire and manage different types of resources, and to whom and how
they are accountable, including how educational expenditure is monitored.
Fees including under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amounts
involved; any differences in fee levels depending on the field or branch of study concerned; the
bodies to which payment is made (e.g. educational institutions themselves, or other bodies).
Financial Support - including cash benefits (family allowances), tax relief to cover part of the
cost of educating their children and any other social benefits (accommodation, meals,
transport, healthcare allowances, etc.). For each type of financial support identified, pleaseprovide information on the criteria taken into account in determining eligibility, and give some
indication of
the percentage of beneficiaries compared to the overall population.
20
If helpful, countries may break down the information into sub-sections on ECEC, Primary (or
SingleStructure Education) and Secondary (and Upper Secondary) Education.
3.2 Higher Education Funding
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1 F u n d i n g
This section should describe the most significant aspects of national higher education financing.
Authors should briefly explain the breakdown of public and private sources of financing. Thisshould include information on the amount and relative share of public and private investment in
the higher education system.
Please explain:
the main policy goals of public funding;
the role of different bodies in the public financing of educational institutions. This should include
the role of central government and regional and/or local authorities, and the role of any funding
agencies or other bodies;
the different forms of possible funding mechanisms, such as input-based mechanisms,
performance-based funding, negotiated allocations and purpose-specific funding.
2 F i n a n c i a l A u t o n o m y a n d C o n t r o l
Please provide information on:
the extent to which educational institutions are legally enabled to acquire and manage different
types of resources (e.g. staff, operational resources and infrastructure etc);
accountability of publicly funded educational institutions, including how educational expenditure
is monitored.
3 F e e s w i t h i n P u b l i c H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n
Please indicate:
the extent to which access to public-sector education institutions is free;
why and under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amounts involved;
any differences in fee levels depending on the field or branch of study concerned;
the bodies to which payment is made (e.g. higher educational institutions themselves, or otherbodies).
4 F in a n c i a l S u p p o r t f o r L e a r n e r s ' F a m i l i e s
Please indicate the nature of public financial support offered to families whose children attend a
higher educational institution. This would include:
cash benefits (family allowances);
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21tax relief to cover part of the cost of educating their children (tax allowances and exemptions inthe case of dependent children);
other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport, healthcare allowances, etc.).
For each type of financial support identified, please provide information on the criteria taken into
account in determining eligibility, and give some indication of the percentage of beneficiaries
compared to the overall population.
5 F i n a n c i a l S u p p o r t f o r L e a rn e r s
For each level of education, please indicate the nature of public financial support offered tolearners attending an educational institution. This would include:
grants and scholarships, including specific grants for mobility periods;
loans including specific loans for mobility periods;
tax relief to cover part of the costs of education (tax allowances and exemptions);
other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport, healthcare allowances, etc.).
For each type of financial support identified, please provide information on the criteria taken into
account in determining eligibility, and give some indication of the percentage of beneficiaries
compared to the overall population.
6 P r i v a t e E d u c a t i o n
Authors should provide information on:
Exclusively private higher educational institutions that are entirely financed by individuals or
bodies established under private law. Authors should cover issues of:
Financial autonomy and accountability - explaining the extent to which private higher
educational institutions are able to acquire and manage different types of resources, and to whom
and howthey are accountable, including how educational expenditure is monitored.
Fees including under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amountsinvolved; any differences in fee levels depending on the field or branch of study concerned; the
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bodies to which payment is made (e.g. higher educational institutions themselves, or other
bodies).
Financial Support for students and their families - including cash benefits (grants, loans, familyallowances), tax relief and any other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport,
healthcare allowances, etc.). For each type of financial support identified, please provideinformation on the criteria taken into account in determining eligibility, and give some indicationof the percentage of beneficiaries compared to the overall population.
The grant-aided higher education sector that is either partially or entirely supported by public
funds. Authors should cover issues of:
Financial autonomy and accountability - explaining the extent to which private highereducational institutions are able to acquire and manage different types of resources, and to whom
and how
they are accountable, including how educational expenditure is monitored.
22
Fees including under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amounts
involved; any differences in fee levels depending on the field or branch of study concerned; thebodies to which payment is made (e.g. higher educational institutions themselves, or other
bodies).
Financial Support for students and their families - including cash benefits (grants, loans, familyallowances), tax relief and any other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport,
healthcare allowances, etc.). For each type of financial support identified, please provide
information on the criteria taken into account in determining eligibility, and give some indicationof the percentage of beneficiaries compared to the overall population.
3.3 Adult Education and Training Funding
1 F u n d i n g
This section should describe the most significant aspects of national adult education financing.
Authors should briefly explain the breakdown of public and private sources of financing.
Please explain:
the main policy goals of public funding;
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the different forms of funding mechanisms, such as input-based mechanisms, performance-based
funding, negotiated allocations and purpose-specific funding.
2 F e e s P a i d b y L e a r n e r s
Please indicate:
the extent to which access to adult education is free;
why and under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amounts involved.
3 F i n a n c i a l S u p po r t f o r A d u l t L e a r n e r s
Please indicate the nature of financial support offered to adults in education and training. Thiswould include:
grants and scholarships;
loans;
cash benefits & family allowances;
tax relief (tax allowances and exemptions);
other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport, healthcare allowances, etc.).
For each type of financial support identified, please provide information on the criteria taken intoaccount in determining eligibility.
4 P r i v a t e E d u c a t i o n
Where relevant, authors should provide information on:
23
Exclusively private adult educational institutions that are entirely financed by individuals orbodies established under private law. Authors should cover issues of:
Financial autonomy and accountability - explaining the extent to which private adult educationalinstitutions are able to acquire and manage different types of resources, and to whom and how
they are accountable, including how educational expenditure is monitored.
Fees including under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amounts
involved; any differences in fee levels depending on the field or branch of study concerned; the
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bodies to which payment is made (e.g. higher educational institutions themselves, or other
bodies).
Financial Support for adult students and their families - including cash benefits (grants, loans,family allowances), tax relief and any other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport,
healthcare allowances, etc.). For each type of financial support identified, please provideinformation on the criteria taken into account in determining eligibility, and give some indicationof the percentage of beneficiaries compared to the overall population.
The grant-aided adult education sector that is either partially or entirely supported by public
funds. Authors should cover issues of:
Financial autonomy and accountability - explaining the extent to which private adult educationalinstitutions are able to acquire and manage different types of resources, and to whom and how
they are accountable, including how educational expenditure is monitored.
Fees including under which circumstances fees are charged, to whom, and the amounts
involved; any differences in fee levels depending on the field or branch of study concerned; the
bodies to which payment is made (e.g. higher educational institutions themselves, or otherbodies).
Financial Support for adult students and their families - including cash benefits (grants, loans,family allowances), tax relief and any other social benefits (accommodation, meals, transport,
healthcare allowances, etc.). For each type of financial support identified, please provide
information on the criteria taken into account in determining eligibility, and give some indication
ofthe percentage of beneficiaries compared to the overall population.
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24TOPIC 4: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
This topic on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) begins with an introduction that
should outline the general characteristics of its organisation and summarise the mainnational policy and general objectives for this level of education.
The topic will be organised according to the scenario proper to each country. If ECEC isstructured as a unitary setting or includes, for instance, only settings for children over X years
old, the topic will not be subdivided. If ECEC contains several stages/programmes, for example,
for children under X, for children over X, the topic should be subdivided into two partscorresponding to each stage/programme. Information (organisation, teaching and learning,
assessment) should be provided for each kind of existing ECEC stage/programme in a separate
part of the topic: e.g.;
A. Provision for children under X years old; B. Provision for children over X years old.
The appropriate template for each country is created by EACEA P9 in each national wiki
template (based on the request formulated by National Units).
Appropriate terminology should be decided by the author (e.g.: whether or not ECEC activities
involve"teaching").
On the introductory page, authors should outline the main features of how ECEC operates and
how it is organised in the country. The authors should clearly present the structure of ECEC,
pointing out if it is compulsory from any point. The different types of institution for this level
should also be presented and explained.
Authors should further outline the general policy and objectives of ECEC. The main provisions
of relevant education laws (decrees, decisions, at ministerial/municipal level) should also beexplained, with links inserted to relevant legislation.
4.1 Organisation
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1 G e o g r a p h i c a l A c c e s s i b i l i t y
Under this heading the author should indicate the main geographical differences in access to
institutions offering this kind of ECEC service, and the steps taken to ensure optimal provisionfor children who live in less populated areas (e.g. in terms of transport facilities, flexible
operational hours, etc.).
2 A d m i s s i o n R e q u i r e m e n t s a n d C h o i c e o f E C E C i n s t i t u t i o n
This sub-section should describe the requirements, particularly as regards age, maturity and otherpossible criteria for admission to the ECEC provision concerned (parents employment, family
situation, etc.) as well as possible exceptions. If regulated, all criteria should be given here,
together with possible ways of determining compliance with them (e.g. how the level of maturity
is measured).
It should be indicated whether or not the parental choice of this kind of ECEC institution is
entirely unrestricted. If there are restrictions, authors should describe their nature, the
circumstances under whichthey apply and in accordance with what criteria. Any possible right of appeal against decisions
taken by
25
educational bodies as regards choice of ECEC institution or possible exclusion from an
institution (rights and obligations of children, rights and obligations of parents) should also be
described.
3 A g e L e v e l s a n d G r o u p i n g o f C h i l d r e n
In this section, authors should indicate at what age children start and finish the ECEC provision
concerned. In addition, if regulated, they should state whether or not several staff/teachers
provide instruction for the same group of children. If several adults are involved, the various
activities and/or stages they teach should be indicated. This section should also specify whetheror not children of different ages belong to the same class/group, and whether or not staff/teachers
may stay with the same class for several years.
Finally, authors should specify whether or not there are any official recommendations regardingthe maximum and/or minimum number of children in a class/group.
4 O r g a n i s a t i o n o f T i m e
This section should include information on organisation and time management within the ECEC
provision concerned, especially as regards the way the year is organised. In each case, authorsshould indicate the authorities/bodies responsible for the decisions taken on these matters.
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Authors should describe the minimum core guidelines or recommendations in the legislation or
official regulations regarding the structure of the annual timetable through the successive years
of this type of ECEC provision. Where no common recommendations or regulations exist
(because the education system is decentralised or ECEC institutions are autonomous), authorsshould make this very clear. Descriptions of general or typical situations may be given, as well
as examples relating to one or more regions (Land, Autonomous Community, municipality, etc.).If a maximum or minimum number of weekly hours is set by law, authors should provide thedetails.
As to the organisation of the school year relevant only for school-based ECEC - the number ofdays a year during which ECEC institutions normally work should be indicated. Authors should
note carefully that the term school year corresponds not just to the time when classes are in
operation, but also periods during which ECEC institutions may be open for administrative
reasons (e.g. staff/teachers arranging their work schedules or task allocations, etc.) or periods
when an ECEC institution becomes only a care provider (e.g. in summer holidays).
5 O r g a n i s a t i o n o f t h e D a y a n d W eek
The authors are asked to give information on the way the week and day are organised in this type
of ECEC institution. If regulated, the opening hours of institutions, and the typical structure of
the day's activities should be indicated in this section. At this point, if it is appropriate for thetype and level of ECEC provision, a table showing clearly the organisation of time may be
included. Authors are therefore asked to
adapt the table below to the specific circumstances of their country.
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LENGTH OF TYPICAL DAY, EACH DAY OF THE WEEK
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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Saturday
Out-of-hours provision (before activities)
Activities (starting and finishing times in the morning)
Lunch break
Activities (starting and finishing times in the afternoon)
Out-of-hours provision
(after activities)
4.2 Teaching and learning
1 S t e e r i n g d o c u m e n t s a n d t y p e s o f a c t i v i t i e s
This sub-section should indicate which kind of steering documents exist to guide institutions
offering ECEC. If there is an educational plan, a curriculum and/or guidelines established at
national/central/regional levels, the nature of such documents should be explained. Thebodies/persons actively involved in their preparation (e.g. inspectors, teachers, researchers,
parents, etc.) should be mentioned. Authors should also indicate the date at which the currently
operational documents came into effect.
If central guidelines or a curriculum exist, the titles of various subjects and/or activities (e.g.
music, dance, painting, foreign languages, etc.) should be indicated as well as the main
objectives of these activities (e.g. developing of social and motor skills). The authors should alsospecify the period concerned, i.e. year, number of hours per year dedicated to an activity. It
should also be mentioned which subjects and/or activities are compulsory and which are
recommended at the national/central/regional level. If the structure and content of the curriculum
may to some extent be freely determined, this flexibility should be explained here. If there is atendency to confer responsibilities for the curriculum and educational planning to local
authorities, this should also be clearly mentioned.
2 T e a c h i n g M e t h o d s an d M a t e r i a l s
In this sub-section, it should be indicated whether staff/teachers are free to choose the teaching
methodology best suited to their particular circumstances, or have to follow certain guidelines.Authors are also asked to provide information on the implementation of major methodological
guidelines for the organisation of activities (e.g. play, peer-play, discovery activities, etc.); the
use of pedagogical approaches (developmental, social-emotional, didactic, academic, etc.); theuse of particular teaching methods (such as Freinet, Montessori, Steiner, etc.).
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Moreover, authors should state whether teaching materials (handbooks, audio-visual and
painting materials, objects as well as natural materials such as cloth, wood, clay, etc.) are
available for children and teachers in this kind of ECEC institution. They should further indicate
the authority/body responsible forpreparing such materials, and whether they are provided to institutions or children free of charge.
27
4.3 Assessment
This section should explain whether or not there is a formal evaluation system in place with
regard to ECEC. If so, authors are asked to indicate the main purposes and criteria of assessment
as well as the main elements assessed. Besides, the organisation of the assessment process ofshould be also described. If the progress of children is not evaluated at this level, this should be
stated explicitly. Moreover, authors should mention whether ECEC institutions provide an
assessment of children linked to access to primary education, and if so how this process isorganised.
Note:
In case that ECEC contain two different stages/programmes, each of them will be divided intothree sections (which means it will have three separate pages).
(4.4 Organisation)
(4.5 Teaching and Learning) (4.6 Assessment)
4.4 or 4.7 Organisational Variations and Alternative Structures in Early
Childhood Education and Care
This section should describe less common or unusual variations in public-sector ECEC provision
(for example, in rural areas, experimental ECEC institutions, etc.). Authors are asked to brieflyexplain the general objectives of these alternative structures, their admission criteria,
programme of activities,
methodological emphasis, etc.
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28
TOPIC 5: PRIMARY EDUCATION (OR INTEGRATED PRIMARY AND LOWERSECONDARY EDUCATION)
This structure for the topic on Primary Education (or Single Structure Education, whichcorresponds to an integrated primary and lower secondary system) begins with an introduction
that should outline the general characteristics of its organisation and summarise the main
national policy and general objectives for this level of education. The following sections then
focus on the organisation of primary (or single structure) education, teaching and learning issues,pupil assessment and progression, and organisational variations and alternative structures.
On the introductory page, authors should outline the main features of how public (including
private grant- aided) primary (or single structure) education operates and how it is organised (asa separate level of compulsory education or integrated within a single structure with no
transition/distinction between primary and lower secondary education). According to the country
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situation, there can be particularities in the organisation and the structure of this level of
education. For example, there may be an optional year before or after the compulsory years of
schooling. Primary education can also be combined with school-oriented pre-primary education.
The last stages of the single structure may be also be provided by some secondary schools.Authors should state clearly what is included in this topic and what is placed in other topics
concerned (Topic 4 on Pre-primary and/or Topic 6 on Secondary education).
Authors should further outline the general primary (or single structure) education policy
objectives. The main provisions of relevant primary education laws (decrees, decisions, at
ministerial/municipal level) should also be explained, with links inserted to relevant legislation.
If primary (or single structure) education is provided in different types of institution, authors
should ensure that this is made very clear in the present introduction.
5.1 Organisation
1 G e o g r a p h i c a l A c c e s s i b i l i t y
Authors should indicate the geographical distribution of schools offering this kind of provision,
and the steps taken to overcome any obstacles to access that may exist for pupils/students wholive in less populated areas (e.g. in terms of school transport facilities, flexible school hours,
etc.).
2 A d m i s s i o n R e q u i r e m e n t s a n d C h o i c e o f S c h o o l
This section should describe the requirements, particularly as regards age, maturity and other
possible criteria for admission to this level of education, as well as possible exceptions. Allcriteria should be given here, together with possible ways of determining compliance with them
(e.g. how the level of maturity is measured).
It should be indicated whether or not the parental choice of a primary or single structure school is
entirely unrestricted. If there are restrictions, the author should describe their nature, the
circumstances under which they apply and in accordance with what criteria. Any possible right
of appeal against decisions taken by educational bodies as regards choice of schools or possibleexclusion from a school (rights and
obligations of pupils, rights and obligations of parents) should also be described.
29
Authors should also indicate the geographical distribution of schools offering primary or singlestructure education, and the steps taken to ensure optimal provision for pupils who live in less
populated areas (e.g. in terms of school transport facilities, flexible school hours, etc.).
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3 A g e L e v e l s a n d G r o u p i n g o f P u p i l s
Authors should note whether or not primary (or single structure) education is divided intoseparate stages. If so, they should specify the way in which those stages are structured. In
addition, they should state whether or not several teachers provide instruction for the same groupof pupils. In cases in which many staff/teachers do so, the various subjects and stages they teachshould be indicated. This section should also specify whether or not children of different ages
belong to the same class, and whether or not staff/teachers may stay with the same class for
several years.
Finally, authors should specify whether or not there are any official recommendations regarding
the maximum and/or minimum number of pupils in a class or group of pupils. If class sizes
deviate from this kind of norm in one or more subjects (such as foreign languages), this should
be stated explicitly.
4 O r g a n i s a t i o n o f t h e S c h o o l Y e a r
This section will include information on the organisation of the school year, and time
management within primary (or single structure) education.
The information should relate to minimum core guidelines or recommendations in the legislation
or official regulations regarding the structure of the annual timetable through the successive
years of schooling.
Authors should explain the way in which the school year is structured (e.g. into semesters, three-
month terms, etc.). The number of days a year during which schools for primary or single
structure education work normally has to be indicated. Authors should note carefully that theterm school year corresponds not just to the time when classes are in operation, but also
periods during which schools may be open for administrative reasons (e.g. staff/teachers
arranging their work schedules or task allocations, examinations, etc.).
The information on the organisation of the school year (starting date as well as end of students'
and teachers' school, dates of holidays) is annually updated by the National Units in the
publication Organisation of the school time in Europe. Primary and secondary education(available on the Eurydice website). Please check that the information published in Eurypedia is
coherent and compatible with this publication.
If a maximum or minimum number of weekly hours is set by law, authors should provide thedetails concerned.
Where no common recommendations or regulations exist (because, for example, the educationsystem is decentralised or schools are autonomous), authors should make this very clear.
Descriptions of general or typical situations may be given, as well as examples relating to one or
more regions (Land, Autonomous Community, municipality, etc.).
5 O r g a n i s a t i o n o f t h e S c h o ol D a y a n d W e e k
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Authors should include information on the way the school week and day are organised for pupils
attending primary or single structure schools. If regulations exist, the school week (with
information devoted to full- or half- day schooling education if applicable), the number oflessons per week, the school day, opening hours of
institutions, and out-of-school time should be indicated, either for primary or single structureeducation as a
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whole, or for particular years or stages in it (e.g. the youngest children may have fewer hours).
Please also describe how the premises are used (for one single group of pupils a day or more
groups).
At this point, a table showing clearly how time is organised should be included if possible and
relevant. Authors are asked to fill in the table below, adapting it to the specific circumstances oftheir country and/or adding
explanatory notes.
LENGTH OF SCHOOL DAY, EACH DAY OF THE WEEK
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Saturday
Out-of-hours provision (before lessons)
Lessons (starting and finishing times in the morning)
Lunch break
Lessons (starting and finishing times in the afternoon)
Out-of-hours provision
(after lessons)
If possible, each day of the week can be represented in the above table in order to point out the
differences. The author has to be especially careful when noting the time at which the lunch
break begins and ends, which has to be the real time for lunch itself and no other kind of breaklike playtime between lessons. Moreover, if there is some kind of provision for pupils out of
school hours in the country in question, authors are asked to indicate the starting and finishing
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time of such provision both before and after lessons. If possible, it would be useful to have the
description of the types of service offered (homework classes, some form of care and
supervision, etc.).
The pattern of the school week may also be indicated above the table, for example, whether it is
a 5-day or 6-day week system, etc. If two or more different (weekly) systems exist in thecountry, authors should make a table for each of them and explain the circumstances underwhich schools may choose which system to adopt.
They should also indicate differences from one year to the next if necessary.
If starting and finishing times may vary depending on the local/regional situation, this variation
should be indicated (e.g. 8h/9h).
5.2 Teaching and Learning
1 C u r r i c u l u m , S ub j e c t s , N u m b e r o f H o u r s
Steering documents or other national/central level guidelines that influence curriculum should be
indicated, as well as the bodies/persons actively involved in their preparation (e.g. inspectors,teachers, researchers, etc.). If the structure and content of the curriculum may to some extent be
freely determined and offer some scope for choice, this flexibility should be explained here.
Authors should also indicate the date at which the curriculum currently operational came intoeffect.
At this point also, the titles of various core subjects or groups of subjects (specifying the period
concerned, i.e. year, stage, level, number of hours per year) should be indicated. The sectionshould also specify which subjects are compulsory and which are core curriculum options (where
applicable). By
compulsory is meant those subjects that pupils must study. A core curriculum option is anyone of a set of
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subjects from which pupils have to select a minimum number in order to cover part of their
minimum core curriculum. At this point subjects related to information and communication
technology (ICT) teaching should also be indicated. Authors should further complete the sectionwith information on language teaching, describing special measures at this level of education to
develop the language skills of pupils. They should state whether one or more subjects in the
curriculum are taught in a language other than the language of instruction.
Authors should provide information on the breakdown of teaching hours for different subjects if
this is regulated and explain whether this allocation is subject to some measure of flexibility asregards either what schools must offer or pupils have to study.
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The information on teaching time allocated to each subject (number of hours per year) is
provided by the Eurydice countries in the publication, "Recommended minimum annual
taught time in compulsory education in Europe". A link to these annually updated tables will
be inserted at this point by the Unit P9 of the EACEA. Please check that the informationpublished in Eurypedia is coherent and compatible with this publication.
2 T e a c h i n g M e t h o d s a n d M a t e r i a l s
For this section, authors should indicate whether teachers are free to choose the teaching
methodology best suited to their particular circumstances, or have to follow certain guidelines.
Authors are asked to provide information on the following: implementation of major
methodological guidelines, as in the organisation of small group activities (e.g. group projects);
use of particular teaching methods; use of new technologies in class (such as computer-assisted
teaching, etc.); and whether teaching is structured in a cross curricular manner. Moreover,authors should state whether teaching materials (books, audio-visual materials, etc.) are available
for pupils and teachers and, if so, whether they are the same for all schools. They should further
indicate the authority/body responsible for preparing such materials, and whether they areprovided to schools or pupils free of charge. Finally, they should explain whether there are any
official recommendations regarding homework for pupils (such as written exercises or studying
lessons at home).
5.3 Assessment
1 P u p i l A s s e s s m e n t
This section should explain the way evaluation is organised, distinguishing betweencontinuous/formative (carried out during the learning process for the purpose of evaluating
progressive learning and teaching in order to inform, modify them), and summative (designed to
measure the acquisition of knowledge and skills through the tests and examination; it occurs atthe end of learning module/cycle or at the end of level of education). For each of the types of
evaluation, authors should indicate which subjects are evaluated, how frequently evaluation
occurs, and if this evaluation is reported and how often. Please also specify techniques used by
teachers/schools to assess pupils (for example using scale grades, verbal qualitative comments,etc.) and if these techniques change during different years of primary (or single structure)
education.
Authors should describe whether there are differences between the evaluation carried out indifferent years and/or different subjects in terms of frequency, method and/or the significance of
the results. Are these
results used, for example, for detection of learning difficulties, etc.?
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Please also indicate if at the end each year of primary (or single structure) education pupils
receive the annual report/marks transcript? Is the progression to the next grade dependent onthis? Please note that end-of-primary (or single structure) education certification issues should be
explained in the sub-section Certification (bellow).
The distribution of responsibilities in relation to pupil evaluation (role of the teacher, the school
head, support and/or monitoring staff, parents and other bodies such as the school council)
should also be indicated at this point.
If in your country any particular ways/methods for evaluation of pupils at primary level exist,
please explain them here.
2 P r o g r e s s i o n o f P u p i l s
This section should be devoted to a description of the circumstances under which the decision to
allow pupils to progress from one class and/or stage to another is taken. Authors should explainif, according to the legislation in force, progress to the next grade is automatic or if it is possible
for a pupil to repeat a class (year) in primary (or single structure) education. If so, how
frequently does grade repetition occur?
If retention is allowed in your country, please describe the criteria that determine whether pupils
remain in the same grade or move on to a higher one (such as the pupil's overall assessment,school attendance, behaviour). Please also indicate if there are any official regulations/rules
defining these criteria. The role of participants in the decision making-process on grade retention
(for example teachers responsible for the class, teaching staff of the whole school, the school
head, support and/or monitoring staff) should be explained here. What is the role of parents (orlegal guardians) in this process? Are they consulted during the decision-making process? Have
they more active role during this process (for example they may lodge on appeal if they object
the decision to make their child repeat the year; or they may request that they child repeats theyear; or their agreement or consent is required in any decision regarding grade repetition)?
The points during schooling at which grades may be repeated (e.g. the end of a year or stage) and
any limit to the number of times this may occur should be indicated, as well as procedures if thatlimit is reached.
3 C e r ti f i c a t i o n
In this section authors should describe the issues concerning certification delivered to pupils at
the end of primary (or single structure) education. Please provide the information concerning the
authority responsible for certification if such a body exists - the content (e.g. the subjectsincluded, numerical/qualitative marking) and methods (e.g. written/oral examinations,
external/internal examinations or work during the year). The title of such qualifications awarded
to pupils, as well as the body which officially recognises them (for example, the State) shouldalso be indicated here. Please also explain if progression of pupils to the next educational level is
based on this certificate.
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If no certification occurs at the end of this level, then this should be stated explicitly. Other
requirements relating to the completion of primary (or single structure) education should also be
described.
5.4 Organisational Variations and Alternative Structures
This section should describe less common or unusual variations in public-sector primary or
single structure education (for example, in rural areas, peripatetic teaching, home teaching ordistance learning, art schools, international/bilingual schools, schools for sports activities,
experimental or pilot schools, etc.).
Authors are asked to briefly explain the general objectives of these alternative structures, their
admission
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criteria, programme of activities and methodological emphasis, timetable, assessment,
progression of pupils, etc.
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34TOPIC 6: SECONDARY EDUCATION (OR UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION) AND
POST SECONDARY NON TERTIARY EDUCATION
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In countries organised in a single structure, all information on lower secondary education
(ISCED 2) is already included in Topic 5 which is devoted to Primary education or Integratedprimary and lower secondary education structures (covering ISCED 1 and 2). For some other
countries, where no distinction is made between lower and upper secondary education, it isclearer and simpler to explain this situation in one section.
Therefore, some flexibility is offered and the appropriate template for each country is already
created in each national wiki template (based on the request formulated by National Units).Depending on the national structure, this topic can be divided in five main parts or less (in cases
where no lower secondary education (single structure) or no lower vocational secondary
education exists, etc.).
The possible five parts are:
A. General Lower Secondary Education
B. Vocational Lower Secondary Education
C. General Upper Secondary Education
D