Swiss Education System
Swiss schools: a broad base
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The Swiss educational system aims to provide a broad knowledge base to as large a number of children as possible. There are special classes for less able pupils and children with learning disabilities, but until recently, there was no special treatment for especially gifted children. The first school for highly gifted children (the private Talenta school) opened in Zurich in 1998. |
The decentralized school system
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Schools are the responsibility of the cantons. The number of lessons can vary from canton to canton, as can the teaching materials and subject matter. Even the structure and names of the types of schools are not standardized. The cantons make autonomous decisions about their schools, but also leave many decisions up to the municipal education authorities. Depending on the canton, children start school at six or seven years of age and compulsory education usually lasts for nine years. |
Universities 
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Pupils who wish to study at university must normally attend a high school for 3 or 4 years, which gives them a general education. They take the final exam - known in German as Matura - at the age of 18-19. Successful candidates obtain a school leaving certificate which allows free choice of a university. An increasing number of young people are earning the certificate. In 1990 the figure was 12%, in 1995 16%, in 1998 18%. The number of university students is low in comparison with the neighboring countries because students of technical subjects receive their higher education not at university but at specialised institutes. The universities are relatively small. In Zurich , the university and the ETH have a combined total of around 20,000 students. Eleven thousand study in Geneva . |
