Czech education policy faces debate over curriculum and school funding

Debate is intensifying in the Czech Republic regarding the stability and funding of the national education system. Concerns have been raised over the status of the Framework Educational Programme (RVP), which serves as the fundamental normative document defining basic education. Critics noted that recent statements by the Minister of Education, characterizing the RVP as a ‘least essential document’, could undermine efforts to restore trust in the curriculum revision process.

Simultaneously, political tension has emerged regarding state contributions to non-public schools. Renáta Zajíčková, the shadow Minister of Education for the ODS party, has criticized Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s questioning of subsidies for private and religious schools. Zajíčková warned that cutting these funds would not result in savings but could lead to a collapse in educational capacity.

According to ODS, non-public schools educate over 140,000 children and provide 17% of national secondary school capacity. The party estimates that if the state were forced to build new public capacities to replace these non-public institutions, the investment required could reach up to 200 billion CZK.