Policy Document
Intercantonal Agreement on Harmonisation of Compulsory Education (HarmoS Agreement) of 14 June 2007
Benefits & Requirements
Coverage: Eligible groups or beneficiaries
All children
Age range
4 - 15
Duration (numbers of years of compulsory education stipulated by this document)
11
ISCED levels included in compulsory education
1,2
Dedication (number of hours per week stipulated by this document)
Not specified by this reform
Is educational tracking implemented or modified by this document?
Yes
If yes, age when students are tracked for the first time
12
Education and training required for a compulsory school teacher stipulated by this document
Not specified by this reform. General information: The training of teaching staff for compulsory education is provided by tertiary level A institutions – mostly universities of teacher education. Due to their practice-oriented degree programmes and their research which is oriented towards occupational fields, the universities of teacher education are typologically classed as universities of applied sciences. The degree programmes in teacher education and training provide professional qualifications and include scientific components, teaching-specific components, educational science components and practical training components. The goal is to impart adequate knowledge and competence for educating and teaching pupils and students at the various educational levels, as well as children and adolescents with special needs. Teacher education and training is realised within a two-tier model with Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in accordance with the Bologna Declaration. The duration of studies depends on the selected degree programme. Graduates receive a teaching qualification for the specific educational level, or a professional qualification in the field of special needs education, as well as a Bachelor's or Master's degree. The teaching qualifications and professional qualifications are recognised throughout Switzerland. Teaching certificates for compulsory education are: teacher for the pre-school level and/or primary school level; teacher for lower-secondary education; education and training in the field of special needs education: specialisation in the fields of early remedial education and remedial education at school; education and training in speech and language therapy and psychomotor therapy
Is the compulsory education of children of undocumented migrants granted by this document?
Yes, but not specified by this reform
Read the Law
Original full text source in native language
edudoc.ch/record/24711/files/HarmoS_d.pdf
Full text web source in English
https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html
http://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html
http://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/1/19995395.en.pdf
Comments & Clarifications
Intercantonal Agreements, also called 'concordats' (German: Konkordat), are worked out by the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK), are legally binding only for those cantons that decide to sign them (decision of the parliament or cantonal popular vote), and come into force as soon as a certain number of cantons (defined by the concordat) agree on it. To date (November 2014), 15 of 26 cantons signed the Intercantonal Agreement on Harmonisation of Compulsory Education (HarmoS Agreement) of 14 June 2007.