Czech coalition debates scrapping 9th grade in primary schools

Government members Tomio Okamura (SPD) and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš have proposed eliminating the ninth year of Czech primary education, pointing to examples in Germany, Poland and Hungary and claiming potential savings of up to 50 billion CZK and an earlier entry of students into the labour market. Babiš suggested that eight grades would be sufficient and called for a broader public debate.

Education Minister Robert Plaga rejected the plan as short‑sighted, arguing that the already under‑funded school system cannot be judged solely by possible cost cuts. TOP 09 chairman Matěj Ondřej Havel described the proposal as a “nonsystemic slap” that would further disadvantage pupils. In a meeting with President Petr Pavel, Havel reiterated his criticism, while the president emphasized the need to improve education in disadvantaged areas and presented a commemorative euro banknote.