mw. The EDK (Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education) currently stated that high school leavers with ambitions to go to University should have a certain command of the German language and that for studies in science a basis of knowledge in Math is necessary (!). What is self-evident for each common citizen was “evaluated” by extensive studies. One result was that many highschool leavers aren’t equipped with German and Math skills that are needed for studies at the University.1 For that reason the principal of the ETH (Swiss Technical University) Zurich announced years ago to introduce entrance examinations when students do not master the necessary essentials from Gymnasium.
And what conclusion has the EDK drawn from that misery? From 2014 on it wants to compile “provisions concerning the general ability to study” together with the EDI (Federal Department of Home Affairs) submitting “a catalogue of those competences in the first language and mathematics” that are required for University studies (cf. media release EDK/EDI from 11 April 2012). In May 2015 the EDK wants to further discuss this issue.
Do we citizens want to continue watching a development, in which administration bubbles containing further “studies” and “projects” are being launched by the Federal Government and cantons and awarded a princely salary?
Or do we rapidly sound the halt? Everybody knows that one has to achieve good knowledge in German and Mathematics in Secondary School in order to proceed to Gymnasium. And every Gymnasium student knows, that in each faculty at University demanding German texts are to be read and written and that for scientific-oriented studies good Math skills are needed. To this end our Cantonal Ministers of Education don’t have to spend more years in the “House of Cantons” in Berne. The solution is obvious: Curriculum 21 must be taken off the program and sound and systematic teaching of German and Mathematics must be re-introduced into Primary and Secondary Schools, so that our youth after nine years of school will be well prepared and capable of proceeding into an apprenticeship or into Gymnasium. At Gymnasiums the basics from Primary and Secondary School have to be deepened. Then the school leavers will be “capable of studying at the University” again. •
1 cf. Evaluation der Maturitätsreform 1995 (EVAMAR), “Schlussbericht zur Phase II von 2008” (Final report on phase II of 2008, p. 220)
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