Czech Republic proposes reforms to inclusive education and teaching assistants

The Czech government is moving toward significant reforms in the inclusive education system, which was established nearly a decade ago. A new proposal by Education Minister Robert Plaga aims to change how teaching assistants are allocated to schools.

Under the current system, assistants are assigned to specific students based on recommendations from pedagogical-psychological counseling centers. The proposed amendment would shift this to a model where assistants are funded based on the number of students and the overall needs of the school. This change is intended to make assistants stable members of the school staff and provide principals with greater flexibility to deploy them where support is needed most, even if not in a specific special education classroom.

While professional organizations and school directors have noted that the move toward professionalization and stability is a positive step, concerns remain. Critics and analysts warn of a potential sharp decrease in the number of available assistants and fear that the reform might lead to cost-cutting measures that could negatively impact students with special educational needs.