The Czech Republic is planning far-reaching changes to foreign language teaching: in the future, schoolchildren will learn English from the first grade, with a second foreign language introduced by the seventh grade at the latest. The aim of the reform is to strengthen multilingualism and thus European integration.
Czech schoolchildren could soon be required to learn two foreign languages. A revised draft of the educational framework programme proposes the introduction of English from the first grade onwards. The document, prepared by the National Institute of Education, is set to be submitted to the Ministry of Education for approval. The Ministry plans to review the draft by the end of the year. The goal is to modernise the teaching approach and align pupils’ language skills with European standards.
Currently, English lessons are compulsory in the Czech Republic from the third grade onwards. However, around half of schools already offer English lessons from year one, including Mendelova Primary School in Prague. “We have three teachers who teach the first classes,” headteacher Martina Thumsová told the news channel ČT24. Pupils in the first classes receive English lessons twice a week.
The headmistress emphasises that, thanks to this early start, around two-thirds of pupils leave the school with a B1 language level. But there are challenges: “The biggest problem is finding qualified teachers who can take over the lessons,” says Thumsová.
Second Foreign Language from Seventh Grade
In addition to English, a second foreign language will become compulsory. From the seventh grade at the latest, pupils will be able to choose between Spanish, German, or French. According to Ivo Jupa, Director of the National Pedagogical Institute, these changes will also place long-term demands on secondary schools, as they will need to offer all three languages to ensure continuity.
In July of this year, the embassies of Germany, France, Austria, Spain, and Switzerland emphasised the importance of multilingualism for European integration and economic cooperation.
The Ministry of Education plans to make the regulations binding only for grammar schools at first. Critics warn that these reforms may not be fully implemented for at least ten years due to the shortage of teachers.
