Education Reform

Reform processes are underway on various levels of the education system at present. The key political goals in education are to safeguard Switzerland's competitive position, to assure the quality of the education system, to assure permeability between different types of education and to facilitate mobility in education. Numerous developments are currently being realised, which will have a decisive influence on the Swiss education system in the coming years, particularly with regard to cooperation and harmonisation.

Harmonisation

The main thrust of educational reform in Switzerland currently concerns the question of harmonisation. Differences in education systems from one canton to another can be a considerable barrier to mobility within the country. One approach to the issue is to improve the coordination between the many actors involved in the education system. In May 2006, the Swiss population voted massively in favour of modifying the Constitution so as to oblige the Confederation and the cantons to coordinate their actions and collaborate more closely in the field of education from primary school to university. One key aspect was the will to fix the duration of each level of education and the specific objectives to be attained by pupils at the end of each level. The latter is the subject of the HarmoS project led by the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Directors of Education (CDIP).

Ratification of HarmoS

Currently, HarmoS is being ratified by the cantons. It is the cantons (cantonal parliaments, with a possible, facultative referendum) who decide about whether to join the new agreement. Agreement accepted, the cantons initiate steps in order to harmonise their cantonal structures and objectives concerning compulsory education. The HarmoS argeement will come into effect once ten cantons have joined. It will only apply to those cantons which have ratified it. These cantons will then have a transition period of six years in order to transpose whatever adaptations are necessary within the HarmoS framework. To date , 11 (out of 26) cantons have joined the agreement.