22 Education Bridge 06 − 2008/2009

Where would you like

to go to school? of
A comparison
education
systems in the
US, UK and the
Czech Republic
front of the whole class as in the CR; most of
the testing takes place in the form of quizzes,
essays and other projects. When students
are juniors, they take the SAT test (Scholastic
Aptitude Test). This four-hour test quizzes
students on their language, writing, math and
critical thinking skills, among other things.
The scores on this national test determine
whether you succeed when applying to the
university of your choice. The completion of
high school is celebrated with a graduation
ceremony in which students dress in long
gowns in colors of their alma mater, receive
their diplomas and toss their funny flat hats
– called mortarboards – in the air. At the end
Although the United States and Great Britain speak the of every school year students attend a dance,
called the prom, which is an opportunity to
same language and promote similar values, there are some dress up and have a good time.
differences between their education systems. What are There are more then 2,000 universities
and colleges ranging from private elite
schools like in the US and the UK and how do they compare institutions such as Yale or Harvard, known
to Czech schooling? We will examine these three systems as ‘Ivy League schools’, to state universities or
and you can decide where students are better off. local community colleges. There you can earn
your Bachelor’s and then Master’s degree.
A Bachelor’s degree is designed to
The United States Most children go to public schools without take four years, but some students take
charge, or they have a choice of private longer. This is also sometimes called your
Similar to other countries, little children start schools, which they must pay for. Students undergraduate degree. After that students
their education with kindergarten between are graded on a system of A-F; with A being continue with their education for about
the ages of five and six. They are divided into the best, and F meaning fail. There is no E another two years to earn their graduate, or
groups and spend their time playing. Some grade, however. Master’s degree. If they really like studying,
children may attend pre-school from as early In grade six students go to Junior High/ they can keep going and earn their PhD or
as three or four years. Parents have to pay for middle school and in the ninth grade they doctorate. They can then put Dr in front of
this pre-school education. change to high school. High School includes their name; but it doesn’t mean they are
Elementary/grade school formally four grades. Each has a special name in a medical doctor!
starts their compulsory education, and American English. First year students are
covers five grades/years. The curriculum is
determined by a particular school district
called freshmen, second year sophomores,
then juniors and finally seniors. This usually
Great Britain
but usually essential subjects include lasts until students are 18-years-old, but British children begin their schooling quite
English, math and science (where you learn some states allow children to leave school as early; very small children aged three and four
what soap is made of, why the sky is blue young as 16. Compared to other countries, are sent to nursery school or a playgroup.
and other basic facts from biology, physics most American students are in school much All the fun ends at the age of five when they
and chemistry). On the daily schedule is longer. High school offers academic lessons have to start attending primary school which
also a little patriotic Pledge of Allegiance as well as more vocational courses such as can be either state-funded or private. Both
which children have to recite every mechanics, computers etc. You don’t have to types of school have to follow a prescribed
morning before the start of their classes. be afraid of unexpected oral examinations in national curriculum. Primary school is
Bridge 06 − 2008/2009 23

divided into two cycles: infant schools Republic, exams are marked in letters, usually which you have to pay back once you start
where children acquire basic skills like writing, from A (very good) to E (bad). U means fail. earning a certain amount of money.
reading and maths. At seven they go on to If pupils don’t want an academic education
junior school with more complex subjects
such as history, geography and science.
after GCSEs, they can choose a vocational
one. There are apprenticeships, where
The Czech Republic
The transfer to secondary school takes young people learn a trade as they work. Likewise, the Czech education system
place at the age of 11. Here, pupils also have There are also vocational courses, where operates on three levels: primary, secondary
and tertiary.
At the age of six Czech children have to
enter nine-year elementary school. Most
schools are financed by the state. However,
there are also private schools where you pay
for tuition. By law, the school-leaving age is
15. For those willing to continue, there are
many secondary education alternatives.
The traditional secondary school
(grammar school) prepares students for
university and lasts four years or longer if
the students have enrolled earlier from
elementary school. The studies may be
focused more on humanities as well as
science. All the secondary studies finish with
a final school‑leaving exam in the fourth
year, which comprises four subjects, two
compulsory: Czech and a foreign language
and two electives.
Apart from grammar schools, students
may attend secondary business schools
or agriculture schools. For the talented,
to follow a national curriculum, including pupils go to school and take exams in there are conservatories where you can
a foreign language and a broader range practical subjects such as mechanics or study music or acting. Another option is
of subjects, taught by different teachers. painting and decorating. secondary vocational schools, which train
They take GCSEs (General Certificate of After the age of eighteen, most pupils young people for jobs of bakers, mechanics,
Secondary Education) that consists of eight find jobs or go to university. There are a lot bricklayers or waiters.
or nine exams in maths, English, a foreign of universities in the UK offering bachelor’s In order to study at university, students
language, a science and a humanities subject. degrees for either three or four years. After have to pass demanding entrance exams.
Sometimes bright pupils can enter more than receiving their degree, a person is a graduate Education at universities is free of charge
nine GCSEs. At the age of sixteen, pupils are and can pursue a master’s degree in science in the Czech Republic. The most popular
free to leave school. If they carry on with their or arts. Most people in the UK have to fund subjects include humanities, law or medicine
education, they study for two more years in part of their university education. This is studied at Charles University in Prague or
an institution called a sixth form college. similar to the US. Universities are subsidised Masaryk University in Brno. The universities
Usually, they take four subjects in the first by the government, but can’t survive on the offer three-year-bachelor programmes as well
year, which ends with an exam. If they pass, money they get, so they charge tuition fees. as five-year-master programmes which finish
they have AS-Levels in these subjects and If you come from a poor background you may with a final state exam and a thesis defense.
can go on to study three of them at A-Level be excused all or part of your tuition fees. You Alex Jordan (UK), Jacy Meyer (USA),
(Advanced GCSEs). Unlike in the Czech can also apply for a loan from the government, Zuzana Sklenková (CR)

Vocabulary secondary ["sEk(@)nd(@)ri] - střední undergraduate - Bachelor’s level of college in Britain - refers to a specialized
schooling – školní vzdělávání tertiary ["t@;S(@)ri] - vysokoškolské, education, also a student preparing further education institution, teacher’s
compulsory [k@m"pVls(@)ri] - povinný terciární towards that level training college or to the sixth-form college
curriculum [kV"rIkjUl@m] - učební plán, to enrol – přihlásit se Ivy League schools - a group of eight – a state educational institution for
kurikulum elective [I"lEktIv] - volitelný předmět high‑quality universities in the US students over 16
charge [tSA;dZ] - školné entrance exam ["Entr(@)ns Ig"z&m] (Harvard, Princeton etc.) marks (BrE) x grades (AmE)
vocational [v@(U)"keIS(@)n(@)l] - odborný - přijímací zkouška maths (BrE) x math (AmE)
gown [gaUn] - talár thesis defense ["Ti;sIs dI"fEns] - obhajoba BRE x AME
to toss - házet diplomové práce child care (BrE) x day care (AmE) Language point
apprenticeship [@"prEntIsSIp] - učňovský nursery school(BrE) x kindergarten (AmE) Don’t forget that some words change
obor Glossary primary school (BrE) x grade school (AmE) pronunciation when they are shifted from
to pursue sth [p@"sju;] - usilovat o critical thinking skills - learning to secondary school (BrE) x high school a noun to a verb, i.e. noun a graduate
are subsidised ["sVbsIdaIzd] - jsou analyze, synthesize and evaluate ideas (AmE) ["gr&dZU@t] vs. verb to graduate
dotované alma mater - a school or university which year (BrE) x grade (applies only to ["gr&dZUeIt] or noun an estimate
tuition fee [tju;"IS(@)n] - školné you attended elementary school and high school) (AmE) ["EstIm@t] vs. verb to estimate ["EstImeIt].
primary ["praIm(@)ri] - základní university (BrE) x college (AmE)