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Swiss Educational Systems

As Switzerland has developed from a loose confederation of autonomous republics to a federal republic there is a strong tendency to grant as much autonomy as possible to the cantons (federal states). Education is one of the fields where cantonal autonomy has extremely visible effects. So there is not one but rather 26 different educational systems in Switzerland. Organisation of schools, curriculae and books differ widely.

Nevertheless there are some common features. The federal constitution of 1848 stipulates that the cantons have to provide 9 years of free schooling for every child. Today one year of public kindergarten is standard (99%), 63% of the children even attend for two years. Nursery schools for children at the age of two to five are widespread in cities, but on a private basis and only for a very limited duration per day.

Most cantons divide the 9 years of compulsory basic education into two blocks: 4-6 years of primary school (all children of a village or a city district go to the same school) and 3-5 years of secondary school with usually three different levels (preparation classes for high school, leading finally to university studies, secondary schools preparing for demanding vocational training and schools with modest pretensions). While primary school lasts 6 years in eastern and central Switzerland, cantons in western Switzerland do split classes already after four or five years of primary education.

Some 20 % of the children attend high schools until the age of about 19 years and get a so-called federal maturity-certificate which entitles them to continue studies at any Swiss university, at a federal institute of technology (ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne) or at a college for teaching professions. High school education comprises a minimum of languages (the language of the region, a second national language and English), history, civic education, geography, biology, some higher mathematics and science for all plus a variety of other language, business or science courses to choose from.

The majority of children leave school after 9 years, some add a tenth year. Vocational training for most professions in Switzerland is based on the apprenticeship model. On this level there are unified federal regulations for several hundred professions. The key element is practical activity, not school. Young people have to apply for a place of apprenticeship with a certified private employer who will train them on practical jobs during three or four days a week. For one or two days a week they attend a state-owned vocational school offering them basic theory related to the profession as well as languages, civic education etc. Depending on the profession, an apprenticeship lasts for two, three or four years.

The system is quite dynamic - for example FEAM (Fernmeldeelektronikapparatemonteur = telecommunication device specialist) was a brand new profession in the 1960's, but has been replaced after three decades by a couple of new, even more specialised professions in the field of telecommunication, informatics and industry automation. This does not mean, that a FEAM diploma would be completely outdated today, however. Switzerland's industry knows well, that life-long education is important and supports both formal courses and on the job training in new technologies.

Excellent professionals may get advanced vocational training at a technical institute leading to a diploma as specialist engineer. Similar institutions also exist for economics (trade, banking) and social workers. Recently these institutions have been reformed and students may now get a bachelor degree there, replacing the old diplomas Ingenieur HTL [HTL = Höhere Technische Lehranstalt = Higher Institute of Technical Education] or HWV [Höhere Wirtschafts- und Verwaltungsschule = Higher School of Economy and Administration].

For decades, a sound mix of different skills and levels of education has helped Switzerland's highly specialised industry to develop and produce sophisticated and reliable machines. University and ETH graduates design products from a more theoretical point of view, but always in close cooperation with HTL technicians knowing all the tricks (and pitfalls) of practical applications. Skilled workers assure high quality standards both in prototyping and production.

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