Last week, the Chamber of Deputies called on the Minister to ensure a sufficient number of corrective deadlines, especially for the practical parts of the school-leaving examinations. Deputies, led by former Minister of Education Kateřina Valachová (ČSSD), argued that some schools did not postpone the practical exams and started them last Monday after the opening of the schools, which allegedly had a negative effect on the results of graduates.
At the same time, the House instructed Plag to prepare an internal regulation on the possibility of official graduations by 28 April. On Monday, the minister again rejected the official school-leaving examination, stating that the requested procedure was illegal and brought only uncertainty among the school-leaving students. He described the proposal as populist, according to him it does not help the mental state of high school students. On the contrary, the possibility of a quick correction of the exam is Plaga's as a rational element of the debate. According to him, the change can help those who could have problems with their psyche during the exam.
Renata Schejbalová, chairwoman of the Association of Grammar School Directors, and Jiří Zajíček, head of the Union of School Associations of CZESHA, also have no fundamental objections to the postponement. "If it helps anyone, so be it," Schejbalová said. According to Zajíček, those who take the exam seriously will get another chance. But he thinks they won't even need it. Both school representatives are particularly pleased that the Minister continues to resist pressure to promote an official school-leaving examination. According to them, it would be unfair to students who are honestly preparing for the exam.
This year's changes
Earlier, the ministry decided that the date of the state matura tests would be moved from the beginning of May to May 24-26, this year due to the covid-19 epidemic. Graduates who will be ill or in quarantine during the regular test period will also be able to apply for the special exam date from 7 to 9 July. The school-leaving examination period will not start on 16 May, as expected, but will be from 1 June to 23 July. The practical tests, which were to start on 1 April, can take place from 19 April to 27 August.
In January, the Minister decided to abolish styles for this year's graduations. In March, he announced that graduates would not have to pass oral graduation exams in Czech and a foreign language this year. They will be able to choose them voluntarily. Graduates who work due to the covid-19 epidemic in hospitals or nursing homes will not even have to take state didactic tests. They will remain mandatory for others, only their time will be extended. All of them will then be waiting for a school-leaving examination in two or three subjects, including a possible practical exam according to the field. The content of practical exams could be modified by schools.
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