The Academic Year
The framework for the operation of public education institutions is regulated by the law, but the completion of tasks in the course of the academic year must be organised at the local level. The local rules of the academic year must be drawn up by taking into account the provisions of the Public Education Act and the ministerial decree laying down the rules of the academic year, as well as specific local circumstances.
The Public Education Act sets out the number of classes students can have in each grade. Many of the parents who contact our Office complain about the heavy workload of their children and the large number of classes they have. One of the frequently asked questions is how much of the students' time the school may use. The limits of the academic obligations of students are laid down by law, as far as the start and end of school hours, the number of compulsory classes, and the length of the breaks are concerned. However, these provisions set out a framework only, and the individual institutions themselves establish the detailed rules to be observed in their day-to-day activities. The large number of classes in itself does not result in an infringement, provided that the school determines the number of classes by complying with the provisions of the relevant laws. On the other hand, the excessive workload of students may result in the infringement of the interests of the parents and the student as well.
A parent contacted our Office saying that his son is a sophomore in vocational secondary school and has eight classes every day. We informed the parent that according to Paragraph (3), Article 52 of the Public Education Act in the ninth and tenth grades the number of compulsory classes for students cannot exceed five or six classes a day (five and a half on a weekly average); while in the grades of vocational training seven classes a day, the number of vocational theoretical and practical training classes, eight classes a day, if the specialised school or vocational secondary school prepares for a vocational examination in arts, in case of parallel teaching, eight classes a day on a weekly average. If the specialised school or the vocational secondary school prepares for a vocational examination in arts in the framework of parallel teaching, the number of classes set for transmitting the requirements of the pedagogical period laying down the foundation of general knowledge, in the school year average may not be less than fifty percent of the classes defined for the given grade (five or six classes per day in grade ten). (K-OJOGB-204/2006.) |
The school's tasks are naturally not limited to the organization of classes. There are so-called extra classes, which should be organized in line with the students' interest, requirements and needs. Naturally, students may not be required to participate in these.
A parent contacted our Office saying that in her child's school study hall is compulsory. The parent considered this grievous, because she was not satisfied with the quality of work performed by the study hall teacher. We informed the parent that pursuant to Paragraph (1), Article 53 of the Public Education Act the school shall organize extra classes, in addition to regular classes, in line with the interests, requirements, and needs of students. Pursuant to Paragraph (2) of the same section, extracurricular classes shall be-inter alia-day-care and study hall classes. Pursuant to Paragraph (3) schools, taking part in special education and teaching are obliged to provide day-care or study hall classes in every grade for students in need of care and supervision until the end of the tenth grade. We informed her that based on the above, the school shall be obliged to organize day-care classes upon the request of parents or students, but shall not have the right to make attendance compulsory. We informed her regarding the checking of the professional duties of teacher that pursuant to Point e), Paragraph (8), Article 107 of the Public Education Act, such checks can be launched-covering associated costs-by the head of the institution in order to evaluate the quality of the educational and teaching work performed in the institution or that of certain employees by an independent expert. (K-OJOG-356/2006.) |
Every family is concerned with the issue of breaks in kindergarten and schools. The scheduling of activities of parents and children is usually closely tied to the length of summer breaks. Parents are frequently troubled by the question where they can place their children for the summer break, if they do not have enough days off during the summer.
A mother contacted us, because a municipality closed the kindergarten of a town for six weeks during the summer. The parent found this course of action grievous, because she did not have enough days off to stay at home with her child, and there were no other kindergartens in town. (O-OJOG-403/2006.) |
Pursuant to Paragraphs (1)-(2), Article 2 of Decree No. 11/1994 (VI. 8.) of the Ministry of Culture and Public Education, it is kindergarten's work plan that sets out the schedule of the kindergarten's year. The opinions of the kindergarten board and the kindergarten parental body (community) must be sought before this plan is adopted. The following should be determined in the schedule of the kindergarten educational year: The dates of working days during which kindergarten education is not offered, the length of breaks, the date of national and kindergarten holidays, the date of teaching staff meetings that can be planned in advance, and the screenings designed to assess the physical state of children, students, performed biannually. Pursuant to Paragraphs (4)-(5), Article 2 of the Decree the number of working days during which kindergarten services are not offered shall not exceed five days every kindergarten year. On working days when no kindergarten services are offered the supervision of children must be ensured, if required. Pursuant to Paragraph (7), Article 2 of the Decree parents shall be informed on the closure of the kindergarten for the summer until February 15 at the latest, and they shall be informed on working days without kindergarten services at least seven days in advance before the closing of the kindergarten. (O-OJOG-130/2006.)
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