Paper of an ECER Conference, Ghent, 19-22 September, 2007
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Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, University of Ghent, 19-21 September 2007
CZECH EDUCATIONAL POLICIES TOWARDS SMALL SCHOOLS WITH COMPOSITE CLASSES
KATEŘINA TRNKOVÁ
Department of Educational Sciences Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University 1 Arna Nováka St. 602 00 Brno Czech Republic e-mail: [email protected] tel.: 420 549 497 500
Introduction
More than 250 years since the introduction of compulsory education in what is today the Czech Republic, small schools with composite classes have still been an integral part of the network of basic schools, no matter that they and their operation have been the subject of much discussion in recent years. The discussion has shown them as schools whose existence and development have been influenced by a number of factors – pedagogical, demographic, economic, social, but mainly political. The latter factors can be, in a certain respect, regarded as the key ones since it is the educational policies which determine whether small schools with composite classes are desirable in the given country or not, whether they enjoy public support or not. In 2006 and 2007 I worked on an analysis of the educational policies of the Czech Republic towards small schools with composite classes and I would like to take this opportunity to present the results of my enquiry. I was especially concerned with what the educational policies of the Czech Republic towards these schools are and which factors are referred to when relevant decisions are being justified.
Educational and residential background in the Czech Republic
Small schools with composite classes are a specific unit of organization at the basic school level. They are schools with at least one class in which pupils of two or more grades are taught. Although there are many of these schools in the Czech Republic (38% in school year 2004/2005), the Czech educationalist discourse does not pay them any sustained attention. Under the Czech legislation,
1 different grades can be merged in a single class only at primary school. Primary school consists of 5 grades, but schools are not obliged to open all of them. Some primary schools have only 3 or 4 grades, instruction in the higher missing grades being provided by the nearest catchment basic school. Like elsewhere in Europe, in the Czech Republic, too, small schools with composite classes are distributed in rural areas. The population of the Czech Republic lives in a high number of settlements with small population distributed at small distances from one another. The mean distance between settlements is 2.3 km.1 The country has neither high mountains (the highest point above the sea level is 1602 m) nor any faraway regions; there is no sea and no remote population. Among the total of 6,258 municipalities, 90%, i.e. 5,634 municipalities have a population of less than 2,000 (Maříková, 2003; Trnka, Trnková, 2002). In 2005, these municipalities housed 26.2% of the whole population of the country (Demografická ročenka, 2006). According to a calculation bases on Eurostat methodology, which defines rural regions based on population density, as many as 66% of the population of the Czech Republic live in predominantly rural regions and significantly rural regions (Maříková, 2006). This type of settlement is associated with a relatively high proportion of small schools with composite classes. The Czech system of education has recently entered a new stage of development. The year 2001 marked a major decentralization of state administration and self-administration, including the domain of education, which is now structured into 3 levels of management. The national level is represented by the Ministry of School, Youth and Education, whose competencies concern especially strategic planning and educational management, rules of its financing and supervision over the quality of pedagogical processes (through the operation of the Czech School Inspection). The newly established level is the regional one, which has been charged with self-governing powers regarding management of the network of secondary schools and school institutions and administrative authority with respect to basic schools and kindergartens. The autonomy of the local level has been boosted. Municipalities can establish their own kindergartens and basic schools and some other school institutions (after-school centres, school cafeterias etc.) or they are obliged to provide pupils eligible for compulsory school (aged 6-15) with an opportunity to attend a school governed by another municipality. After this system has been in operation for several years, I analyze the conditions of operation of small schools with composite classes and the factors that the individual levels of the Czech educational policies take into account with respect to these specific schools.
Methodology of the analysis of educational policy
1 There is naturally geographical variation in the settlement of the Czech Republic. Especially frontier regions are not too densely populated and some highland and mountainous areas are less populated, too. 2 The main general goal of this analysis of the Czech educational policy towards small schools with composite classes was to find an answer to the question what the existing educational policy towards these schools is like, namely whether it tends to support their existence and development or not. This analysis concerned the 3 levels of school administration (national, regional and local). My specific objective was to identify which factors the individual levels of the Czech educational policies take into consideration. Factors are distinguished between pedagogical (relating to implementation of education and upbringing in schools), demographic and geographical (relating to population mobility and distribution), social and cultural (relating to the socio-cultural importance of small schools with composite classes) and, last but not least, economic and political factors (relating to funding of these schools, school legislation, strategic planning and decisions concerning these schools). The analysis on the local level concentrated on opinions of school governing authorities and headmasters about the existing official Czech educational policies and ways of funding small schools with composite classes. The level of national educational policies focused on (1) strategies and concepts of the Ministry of Education regarding small schools with composite classes (strategic goals, principles and priorities)2, (2) legislative norms specifying the conditions of existence and operation of small schools with composite classes (status and relations between individual protagonists, funding and conditions of these schools’ development).3 At the level of regional educational policies, a wider range of research procedures was applied. In the first stage I analyzed strategic documents adopted by departments of education of the individual regions.4 To arrive at a more specific insight into the situation in the regions, I selected one of them, South Moravia, for a more detailed analysis. Here, too, strategic documents at the regional level were analyzed with respect to the development of the system of education. The results of these analyses were then supplemented and made more accurate by interviewing two officers of the Department of Education of South Moravia.5
2 National Programme For Development of Education (White Book), Long-term Plans for Education and Development of the System of Education and Upbringing in the Czech Republic 2002 and 2005, Annual Reports of the Ministry of Education on the state and development of the system of education, 2001 to 2004. 3 Key legal norms affecting the existence and operation of small schools with composite classes – the Educational Act and specific ordinances. 4 Documents of Prague (capital of the CR) were excluded from the analysis – the region consisting of a single city is not concerned with the issue of small schools with composite classes at all. 5 The first officer was a superior of the other, who headed a department. I refer to them as Mrs. A and Mrs. B. 3 Picture 1: South Moravia in the map of the Czech Republic
To obtain empirical material reflecting educational policies at the local level, I performed a questionnaire survey among representatives of governing authorities of small schools with composite classes (mayors) and representatives of these schools (headmasters) in South Moravia region. The questionnaire was distributed to all small schools with composite classes and their governing authorities in South Moravia. The total of 374 questionnaires were distributed (188 to schools, 186 to municipalities), 200 (54%) of which returned, (53% from schools and 47% from municipalities). Part of the questionnaires were filled in by fully levelled schools in rural areas; these were excluded from the analysis, which is thus based on 174 questionnaires.
Results of the analysis of state educational policies towards small schools with composite classes
Since 2001, when the National Programme for Educational Development in the Czech Republic was adopted, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has been publishing the Long- term Plan for Education and Development of the System of Education and Upbringing (2002, 2005) every 3 years. Based on these documents the new Educational Act was adopted in 2004, launching the big curricular reform and newly defining some relations, competencies and funding in education. The whole system of management of education was decentralized to a great degree and the decision-making power regarding small schools with composite classes was assumed by school governing authorities (municipalities). Legal subjectivity of basic schools became an obligation, which gave the schools an opportunity to run their economic affairs autonomously, but implied, on the other hand, a great increase in bureaucracy and the need to be competent in accounting, legal norms, HR management etc. New limits for numbers of pupils per class were set for the different types of schools6 and should this minimum be not met and should the school have fewer pupils, it is
6 A school consisting of a single composite class has to have at least 10 pupils and a school consisting of 2 composite 4 up to the municipality to decide whether they want to contribute towards teachers’ salaries and run the school under exceptional circumstances or close it down. There has been a change in school funding, too. Labour costs, costs of in-service training, and costs directly connected to school and education development are reimbursed to basic schools from the budget of the Ministry of Education. These finances are assigned to schools using a standard payment per pupil, the calculations being rather complicated. Operational and investment costs are covered by the school governing authority. Which attitude do Czech strategic documents express as far as the existence of small schools with composite classes is concerned? They base their policies on demographic trends in the country. One global trend is a declining birth rate, which, however, has showed a mild upward trend in the recent two years, which has contributed to its stabilization. There has nevertheless been a great surplus of basic school capacity and if the trend observed in 2002 lasts and the unit costs per pupil being the same, around 1,000 schools will have to close down within 10 years. The Ministry of Education has prepared a document focusing on regional aspects of development of the system of schools (Vybrané, 2002), taking into account a number of factors including geographical factors affecting school distribution density. The document identifies regions where the type of settlement and school distribution density prevent any major interference with the network (such as Bohemian- Moravian Highlands) and regions where the relatively high number of schools is invites this change (such as Olomouc or Liberec regions). As far as small schools with composite classes are concerned, the document expresses the fear that the numbers of pupils will go down radically, to the very lower limit. If municipalities have to contribute towards the labour costs, the funds for school operation and equipment will be reduced, which may have a negative impact on the material basis of instruction in these schools. This situation has provoked two types of response. Strategic documents appeal to school founders to make them consider whether the existence of each particular small school with composite classes is necessary. They recommend different options in integration of educational institutions (to save labour costs) or changes in organizational structure to improve school finance. One of the concepts which seem to be promising in this respect is school as a community and information centre. The Ministry of Education however does not intend to fund the concept from its own budget and hopes it might be able to get this money from the European social funds. The documents acknowledge the difficulty of deciding whether to close down or keep a school on the part of school governing authorities, due to the existing opinion that schools contribute to the socio-cultural identity of rural municipalities and their future non/existence is an extremely sensitive issue in each such place.
classes ate least 12 pupils per class on average; a school with 3 classes has to have at least 14 pupils per class on average. Other elementary schools have to have at least 15 pupils per class on average (ordinance no. 48/2005 Coll., Article 4). 5 The Ministry of Education has nevertheless committed to several steps in support of small schools with composite classes. A programme of in-service training subsidies provided to small schools with composite classes has been available since 2005. Schools may take advantage of the subsidies to cover their in-service costs or labour costs of substitute teachers. Apart from that, a programme of subsidies to alleviate the impact of the current demographic trends has been available to all basic schools, not only small schools with composite classes. Small schools with composite classes can take advantage of the programme, too. (Allocation of sources is up to regional departments of education). It can be said that state educational policies have taken a number of steps to strengthen the autonomy of small schools with composite classes. It is thus mainly people who work in these schools or are their very close partners that manage these schools and make decisions concerning their existence. The fact that only demographic and economic factors, and to a lesser degree socio- cultural factors are considered with respect to the existence and operation of small schools with composite classes, can be assessed as a kind of bias. Pedagogical factors are not considered.
Results of the analysis of regional policies towards small schools with composite classes
Regional school departments enjoy only some transferred administrative powers with respect to basic schools, namely financial ones, school financing being a rather sensitive area. Funds from the state budget go to regional administration depending on yearly national norms. Regional authorities are obliged to set the so-called regional norms based on a yearly order, for all performance units.7 The regional norms specify the costs per individual performance units for the given calendar year (Act No. 561/2004 Coll., Article 161, Section 2). 8 Regional authorities may use a strategy of educational development of their own to adjust the calculated sum by 10%, raising or reducing it. 9 “The main philosophy of the system is developing economic pressure to “adjust” school distribution in each region not only to the available funds from the state budget, but especially to the actual educational needs in the region” (Dlouhodobý, 2005, p. 100). Regions thus have only indirect
7 Performance units refer to pupils of the individual types of schools. As for small schools with composite classes, the performance unit is a pupil of a basic school consisting of elementary school classes only (see ordinance no. 492/2005 Coll. on regional norms, effective in 2006). Performance units are distinguished between depending on the total size of the school – 25 and fewer pupils, 26-50 pupils, 51-75 pupils, 76-100 pupils and 101 and more pupils (Základní principy, 2006). 8 Regional norms are set by regional authorities especially based on a) the long-term plan for education and development of the system of education in the region, … c) the scope of direct educational, direct upbringing, direct special-pedagogical or special pedagogical-psychological activities and d) use of class, study group and section capacity in individual schools and educational institutions (Act no. 561/2004 Coll., Section 3). The amended ordinance on regional norms defines a set of indicators essential for the final calculation of the norm. 9 The possibility of increasing or reducing the norm has been restricted also in order to prevent excessive variation in school financing and thus development of individual parts of the schooling system in individual regions. This was pointed out in the discussion in 2001, during the implementation of the new administrative division of the Czech Republic, with a view to preventing the co-existence of 14 different systems of education. 6 control over basic school distribution. They are nevertheless the immediate superior administrative authority to basic schools. At this level of educational policies, the demographic development of population of children and population distribution are a key factor, too. This fact influences the nature of the distribution of small schools with composite classes as well. There were 3 regions in the Czech Republic in 2004/2005 where the proportion of small schools with composite classes was more than 50% (Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, Hradec Králové, and Pardubice regions) (DZ Středočeský, 2006). Statements reflecting the importance of the existence of schools for individual municipalities are easier to find in strategic documents at the regional level. One example may be the claim that “decisions of municipalities regarding school optimization shall be based firstly on an objective evaluation of the economy of operation of the schools founded by them, and secondly, on a subjective evaluation of the importance the schools have for their citizens and the municipality as such. The general principle was that schools should play the role of “nucleus of condensation” encouraging young people to stay in the municipality and raising the potential demand for local services and subsequent influx of people into the area. The school is naturally a cultural and social centre of the municipality.” (DZ Pardubický, 2006, p. 11) Regional authorities do not hesitate to consider stability of settlement and factors affecting it. They are well aware that the existence of a school may have a significant impact on smaller municipalities, but their main task is still management of public finance in education. Regional authorities also concentrate on analysis of funding of small schools with composite classes. They consider especially factors essential for setting the norms regarding pupils (performance) in these classes such as the average class size or the pupil/teacher ratio. They point out the high proportion of the smallest schools with composite classes granted an exception from the minimum capacity limit. It is especially schools with fewer than 50 pupils that are candidates for the so-called optimization.10 A number of regions have to tackle this problem. One of the regions where this issue is the hottest is Hradec Králové region, where a detailed study of “bellow- the-limit” schools was prepared in 2006, proposing a possible solution for each of these schools. Essentially all regions appeal to basic school governing authorities to consider whether they want to preserve their schools and whether or not they are going to modify their organizational structure. No matter where, these appeals range from acknowledging municipalities’ rights to preserve the schools to emphasizing that small schools are more costly and contribute to dissipation of money from the budget of the region. Claims that the regions are ready to assist municipalities in dealing with the situation are frequent, too. All regions offer school governing authorities help
10 It is interesting to note how authors of individual documents euphemize the desired measures, i.e. school close- downs or mergers. We can come across expressions like “basic school distribution optimization” or “school distribution rationalization” or “harmonization” (e.g. in DZ Moravskoslezský, Zlínský, Liberecký, 2003, 2006) 7 regarding resident traffic including provision of school buses, and methodological help. Municipalities have not resorted to closing small schools with composite classes down yet to any greater extent, which, I believe, partly has to do with the reduction of the minimum limit of number of students per school. Municipalities strive to improve the economic situation of their schools largely by integrating basic schools and kindergartens where numbers of pupils are low, and a number of these municipalities deal with the situation by covering the gap in schools’ direct costs. The documents pay little attention to the conditions and course of the process of education in schools. The conflict between the economic and pedagogical aspects of operation of small schools with composite classes has been pointed out by DZ Královéhradecký (2006), which says that “the didactic point of view may be in open conflict with the economic point of view” (p. 67). When specifying their attitudes regarding the distribution of small schools with composite classes, strategic documents of Czech regional educational policies use especially demographic and economic arguments. This is to a certain extent due to the kind of powers with respect to basic schools that regional departments of education generally have. Regions do not have direct control over basic schools; they can only appeal to school governing authorities to deal with the situation should there be problems with relocation of finance. Open attitudes towards small schools with composite classes are hard to find. Support to these schools has been expressed by Pilsen region and Bohemian-Moravian Highlands while optimization, i.e. the trend towards reduction of these schools or at least their headquarters, has been mentioned by almost all other regions in their documents. Satisfaction with the existing state of distribution of small schools with composite classes has been expressed by Ústí and Zlín regions (hardly any invitations to optimation have been voiced). Generally speaking, the pressure to adjust the distribution of these schools is due to fears of decreasing use of capacity of small schools with composite classes, which would make the operation of the schools more costly. The documents state that there has already been a decrease in numbers of children in primary schools in many places, but the distribution of schools has not come up with any substantial response. The number of schools is decreasing, whether through closing down or mergers, only very slowly.
Educational policies in South Moravia region
South Moravia ranks among regions with non-homogeneous settlement pattern; valleys and lowlands are filled with more populous settlements while smaller settlements can be found in highlands.11 The proportion of urban population in the region is 63.5%, which is less than the
11 Brno (with a population of around 370,000), where one third of the region’s population live, is significant. It is a centre providing job opportunities and educational opportunities and housing a number of institutions of supra- regional significance. 8 national average. The region is rather a rural one, with relatively populous rural settlements and a high proportion of people working in agriculture. This settlement largely determines the distribution and size of small basic schools with composite classes. The rate of schools with a population under 1,500 is 50-53% (Brno was excluded from consideration) (DZ Jihomoravský, 2003). The share of population of children is rather low (14.4% in 2005). A 30% decrease in the number of children eligible for compulsory school is expected between 2000 and 2010, which will affect the use of basic school capacity in the region in a major way. DZ Jihomoravský (2003) claims that “the demographic situation requires an urgent solution – which will not reduce availability of basic schools in any significant way, will take into consideration the nature of settlement and will be economically viable with respect to the situation in basic schools (p. 6)”. Unless the so-called basic school distribution optimization takes place, the redundant capacity of not fully-levelled small schools would reach around 45% at 2010, which would imply a strong tension regarding these schools’ funding (ibid.). 12 Financing is a big issue in the documents analyzed. As for both the level and the structure of the running expenses per basic school pupil, the region ranks just below the national average. There is, however, variation between districts, attributable to low use of class capacity (DZ Jihomoravský, 2003). Mrs. B says: “It is evident. It is really evident that the use of class capacity is declining, both in primary school and in the higher grades. And this can really be seen in the low numbers of pupils per class …” Mrs. A: “Well, to put it short, fourteen children per class.” Regional authorities therefore keep appealing to basic school governing authorities to consider closing them down or modifying the organizational structure of their schools. Authorities of South Moravia region are aware that decisions regarding schools are a sensitive matter to the municipalities. They however tend to regard hesitation about structural reorganization or change of school founder as a lack of political confidence. “Any change in the structure of schools simply leads to, I would say, panic, and not only among the public, but especially, of course, among teaching staff and our teachers love to take advantage of their relations with parents – and to seek their protection. And they are always able to turn a situation which would otherwise be rather simple, unequivocal, they are always able to politicize these situations to such an extent that politicians get frightened and draw back.” (Says Mrs. A) There is little will to close down or reorganize small schools with composite classes, even if – as one South-Moravian officer claimed – schools are a very costly item on municipal budgets. Despite this mayors tend to say, “when you talk to them, The schools is not going to close down, not under me.” (Mrs. A) Regional authorities perceive this situation in terms of a lack of readiness among school governing authorities. “The low readiness to adopt unpopular restrictive measures will however mean, in the context of the current
12 The recent trend in the birth rate suggests that the timing may shift since there has currently been a temporary increase in the birth rate. 9 demographic decline, a rapid growth of costs per unit followed by a deterioration of conditions of basic school education and a decrease in educational quality” (DZ Jihomoravský, 2003, p. 17) . The actual numbers of small schools with composite classes in South Moravia region do not change in any significant way. Interim change concerns individual closures rather than a trend.
Table 1: Development of the number of basic schools in South Moravia and their use of capacity School year 2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/200513 Number of schools 461 458 458 451 453 fully levelled 250 250 251 251 247 not fully levelled 210 208 207 200 206 No. of small schools with xxx xxx 152 162 179 composite classes No. of schools with an exception xxx 41 55 70 92 regarding minimum capacity use Average no. of pupils per schools 252,12 244,84 238,31 231,46 221 Average no. of pupils per class 22,03 21,74 21,34 21,06 21 No. of children in small schools xxx xxx 6818 6957 8120 with composite classes Source: Annual Report of South Moravian Administration 2003/2004, 2005, Annual Report of South Moravian Administration 2004/2005, 2006.
The table shows the growing trend among schools which have been granted an exception regarding minimum capacity use. Municipalities are therefore willing to support their schools from their own budget, no matter how costly it is and grant their schools exceptions. The overall attitude towards small schools with composite classes in South Moravia region can be labelled “economic-bureaucratic”. The regional Department of Education is in an unpleasant position since they have to respect legal regulations and respond to complaints by these schools (lack of money for salaries, in-service training etc.).14 The only solution is to be loyal to the existing legal environment while trying to be methodical in helping schools cope with the situation.
13 The borders of the region have been shifted this year and the region gained some schools through administrative change. 14 A similar situation has been referred to as the “blocked society” by Michel Crozier. It usually consists of 3 levels (managerial staff, intermediate grades, and employees), communicating with each other only to a limited extent (Crozier assumes that especially the intermediate grades block smooth communication and contribute to concealing or distorting information ). Those in power cannot see the practical impact of their decisions (they are not in contact with the lowest level). Those who know this impact cannot make decisions. Administration gets blocked and reduces mutual grudges rather than strengthens the effectiveness of administrative operations. The situation leads, among other things, to shrinking from responsibility at all levels of the system (Keller, 1996). 10 Attitudes of municipalities and small schools with composite classes in South Moravia region towards the existing educational policies
Let us now focus on the attitudes of schools and municipalities towards the new school legislation and the ensuing system of financing. These attitudes were explored in a questionnaire survey based on open-ended questions covering several analytical categories. The items were structured so as to make respondents express why they perceived the new legislation as a positive/negative change or whether they felt the situation had not changed in any essential respect.15 The change in school legislation was perceived as positive by 20 headmasters and 9 mayors. Both subgroups shared the opinion that the change had strengthened school autonomy (especially regarding the opportunity of autonomous decisions on financing the needs of schools and human resources). They also appreciated the reduction of the minimum limit for pupils per class (especially the headmasters). There were 8 headmasters and 11 mayors who felt the situation had hardly changed. About one third of them felt their work and the associated lack of safety were basically the same; other claimed they had come accustomed to change and knew financing was always going to be beset with problems. Most answers however fitted the “negative change” rubric. This is how 35 headmasters and 18 mayors viewed the change. More than a half of these headmasters were confident that the amount of bureaucracy in schools had greatly increased. They were less frequently concerned about their dependence on numbers of pupils, freedom of choice of schools and the greater dependence on municipal administration. This can be evidenced by statements like “Competition among schools, bureaucracy, public pressure on school activity and representation”. Mayors felt schools lack finance, mentioned the necessity to contribute even towards schools’ direct costs (26%), were concerned about the administrative burden school headmasters bore and felt that the implementation of legal subjectivity of schools meant that a number of specialist, especially economic issues has to be dealt with by laymen (11%). The opportunity to comment on the existing system of financing of small schools with composite classes has been taken advantage of by 66 headmasters and 43 mayors, which seems to indicate the significance of this agenda for these schools and their governing bodies. The answers by mayors concerned 3 interrelated circumstances. Almost the same shares of responses (16-19%) mentioned that the finance depend on numbers of pupils, do not reflect specifics of small schools with composite classes and are generally insufficient. There were, on the other hand, 23% of mayors who did not regard financing as problematic; but 21% of mayors reported they regarded the existing system of financing as bad, or insufficient (12%). There were 18% of headmasters who
15 Open-ended items were used with the awareness that many of them would not be filled in (which actually happened). On the other hand, they provided non-structured answers rich in information. Considering the limited scope of this paper not all relevant aspects will be discussed here, but only the key results will be pointed out. 11 were satisfied with the existing system of financing and did not feel there were any substantial problems. A greater dependence on municipal administration was mentioned by 11% of the headmasters. Unlike headmasters, mayors complained of insufficient support of these schools on the part of state or regional administration (16%). The differences between the attitudes of both groups are shown in Table 1
Table 1: The attitude of headmasters and mayors on the existing system of financing The attitude on the existing Headmasters Mayors system of financing Insufficient funding 18 12 Other 3 9 Low employee limit 3 Funding free of problems 18 23 Specifics of composite classes are 17 5 disregarded Dependency of no. of pupils 19 - Lack of money for salaries 8 - Big share of funding by 3 14 municipalities Dependency on municipality 11 - Low support of the state, region - 16 Systém of financing is bad - 21
It seems natural that mayors and headmasters are rather critical about the existing school legislation as it is especially them who is likely to face its imperfections on a daily basis. Neither of the groups (which is true especially of the headmasters) is primarily qualified to administer economic-legal agenda, which makes them even more sensitive to these issues. The last item to be analyzed in this section is respondents’ opinion of the attitude of South Moravian administration towards small schools with composite classes (87 respondents commented on this). A majority of the respondents believed that the regional authorities support these schools (28% of headmasters, 25% of mayors). The opinion can be illustrated by statements like “they help us with whatever we need”, “they have shown a maximally outgoing attitude, there have been no problems”. Another 20% perceive the attitude of regional authorities as neutral – “they do not influence the in/existence of schools and leave decisions up to the governing authorities“. The group which expressed the opposite opinion was somewhat less numerous. They believed that regional authorities do not believe in small schools with composite classes, do not favour them, simply are not concerned about them and overlook their problems (17%). This group of respondents included especially headmasters (80%) – “I think they do not care for small schools with composite classes much” or “they underestimate small schools with composite classes”. This group is close to
12 another one which refers to the attitude of regional authorities as a “abolitionist” (16%, 2/3 of which were headmasters) – “they would like to see us all closed down”. The rest of the spectrum is covered by specific statements. Due to the fact that this part of the questionnaire was answered by only a part of the respondents, the answers should not be over-generalized. The relatively critical attitude towards the existing educational policies seems to be, among other things, due to the fact that schools and municipalities depend on legislation (on the operation of the system of education) – the possibility to influence them is virtually non-existent, and yet they have to abide by them. As the questionnaire survey shows, the issue was perceived as more sensitive by headmasters, who have to combine a relatively big amount of freedom regarding their pedagogical activities with strongly restricted (by legislation) management in their work. This imbalance can lead to dissatisfaction, even frustration with managerial work in small schools with composite classes, to which insufficient qualification of headmasters in school management may contribute, too. This hypothesis however needs empirical testing.
Conclusions
The study has shown that the Czech educational policies towards small schools with composite classes take into account demographic, geographic, economic and socio-cultural factors. It is the demographic situation which is attributed the biggest weight, being perceived as a starting point for shaping the distribution of basic schools, followed by economic factors. Geographic and socio- cultural factors tend to be referred to more often at the level of individual regions. Neither the national nor regional policies in education consider pedagogical factors in their documents (they were mentioned but sporadically). The distribution of rural small schools with composite classes in the Czech Republic is regarded as adequate, above the standard with respect to the current demographic situation, and little efficient in economic terms. It is nevertheless the governing authorities (municipalities) who have the final say about the existence of small schools with composite classes, and they have been highly concerned about preserving these schools so far.16 As for schools and municipalities, no great deal of identification with the existing school legislation can be observed. Both headmasters of small schools with composite classes and representatives of schools governing authorities have many reservations towards the existing situation. They feel that rather than with quality of their educational work, the educational policies
16 Rural areas, especially those surrounding cities and towns, have shown an upward populational trend in the Czech Republic. Internal migration, especially in recent 10 years, is from towns to rural areas and can be characterized as suburban. 13 are concerned with the diverse norms setting loads size, numbers of pupils and other limits which they themselves usually cannot influence and thus tend to view as bureaucratic. As for national educational policies, no explicit statements regarding the future of these schools have been sounded.17 From the economic and administrative points of view, small schools with composite classes are regarded rather as undesirable, but important by making compulsory school education available in rural regions. They are recognized to be a considerable contribution to civic facilities in rural areas, too. Political will and reasons to restrict the number of these schools radically seem to be missing. Since the volume of finance for basic schools has remained approximately the same for several years and the population of children has been decreasing, the Ministry of Education can use these reserves to support these schools. What is absolutely unclear is how these schools work at the educational level since there has been no research addressing this topic yet. This, too, is one of the reasons why the quality of education provided by these schools can be challenged or, conversely, the favourable atmosphere of composite classes and the diversity of teaching processes applied by teachers at these schools are praised. All in all, the educational policies of the Czech Republic towards small schools with composite classes can be classified as mildly welcoming. All important decisions are taken at the local level, sometimes at the cost of big interpersonal and financial tensions. These schools would undoubtedly appreciate better services for education and municipalities and their governing authorities would appreciate some opportunities to obtain project money for support of education in rural areas. The existing peace may be disturbed by further decline in the population of children within the next 10 years.
17 Although many statements in favour of small schools with composite classes have been made and support to them has been declared since the appointment of a new government in the beginning of 2007, when the post of the Minister of Education was taken by a member of the Green Party, these have not found their way into concrete measures yet. 14 REFERENCES:
Demografická ročenka České republiky za rok 2005 [online, in Czech: Demographic Yearbook of the Czech Republic, 2005]. Praha: Český statistický úřad, 2006 [last access: 2007-08-11] Available on
15 Educational Development in the Czech Republic] Praha: MŠMT, ÚIV, 2001. p. 98. ISBN 80-211- 0372-8 KELLER, Jan. Sociologie byrokracie a organizace. [in Czech: Sociology of bureaucracy and organization.] Praha: SLON, 1996, p. 191. ISBN 80-85850-15-X TRNKOVÁ, Věra, TRNKA, Rudolf. Venkov 1999. Sociálně-demografická situace, regionální disparity. [in Czech: Rural areas 1999. Social-demographic situation, regional disparities.] IN Český venkov 2000. Základní údaje. Praha: PEF ČZU, 2002, p. 9 - 50. ISBN 80-213-0915-6 Vybrané souvislosti rozvoje školství v krajích ČR. Příloha Dlouhodobého záměru vzdělávání a rozvoje výchovně vzdělávací soustavy České republiky. [in Czech: Selected context of development of the system of education in regions in the Czech Republic. Appendix to the Long-term plan for education and development of the system of education in the Czech Republic.] Praha: MŠMT, 2002. p. 93. Výroční zpráva o stavu koncepce a rozvoje sítě a o stavu a rozvoji výchovně vzdělávací soustavy v Jihomoravském kraji za školní rok 2002/2003. online, in Czech: Annual report on the state of the concept and development of school distribution and the state and development of the system of education in South Moravia region, 2002/2003.Brno: Krajský úřad, 2004, p. 156. last access: [2- 11-2006] Available on
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