Education Ministry: funding changes might reduce classes at village schools

Planned changes to the funding of elementary schools might reduce the number of classes at Czech village schools, Education Ministry officials told a news conference in Prague on Monday. Under the new plan, primary and secondary schools would receive funding on the basis of their occupancy rather than the number of pupils or students; this might lead to the end of 5th to 8th grades in many village schools while other small schools would probably group pupils in split classes, the officials said. Education Minister Josef Dobeš believes the changes, which should come into force next year, would save up to one billion crowns. However, the plan has been rejected by the Czech Union of Towns and Municipalities and other regional associations while the opposition has criticized it as chaotic.

Author: Jan Richter