2009/2010 school year begins

The 2009/2010 school year began on Tuesday, with 1.3 million students, including 93,000 first-year pupils, in attendance. As is customary, President Václav Klaus and the minister of education, Miroslava Kopicová, visited two primary schools, greeting the students and awarding medallions. The number of students declined this year overall, with only a slight increase of 0.5% among first-year pupils.

New teaching methods intended to promote independent thinking are to be implemented this year for many age groups. Also reforms allowing teachers to create their own curricula will take effect in secondary schools this year.