Education in Czech Republic

Project background

The project is financially supported by the European Social Fund and implemented under the Operational Programme Prague – Growth Pole of the Czech Republic.

Within the project Agora CE will prepare 2 educational programmes (a series of activities spread over the whole school year) for secondary school students, which will focus on the development of democratic competences of young people. Through these programmes, students will improve their competences in the field of communication, critical thinking and active citizenship. Through the project, students will learn about the topics and issues through interactive methods and will actively use the acquired competences in practice. Partner schools will be involved in piloting the programmes (at least 2 schools will pilot each of the two programmes). Partner schools have the possibility to participate in the piloting of one or both programmes and will have the opportunity to influence the shape of the programmes and the final methodologies that will be developed after the piloting.

Project duration: 1 November 2021 – 31 October 2023 (24 months)

November – December 2021 – preparation in Agora, new colleague
December 2021 – January 2022 – communication with school – needs analysis (teachers, students)
February – June 2022 – first semester of programme implementation in school
September 2022 – January 2023 – second semester of programme implementation in school
February – June 2023 – third semester of programme implementation in school
July – October 2023 – evaluation of the project, dissemination seminar for other teachers

Objectives of the project

The main objective of the project is to develop democratic competences of secondary school students, which are necessary for the functioning of a democratic society in the Czech Republic. Specifically, the project will develop students’ communication competences and their critical thinking and their competences of active citizenship and participation. Furthermore, this project aims to complement and extend formal school education with important new topics and competences using methods used in non-formal education and to develop two methodologies on these topics that will be available to educators and the general public

To achieve these objectives, two comprehensive training programmes (a series of activities spread over 2-3 terms of the school year from February 2022 to August 2023) will be developed for secondary school students. One programme will be more focused on developing communication and debating skills, while the other will go deeper into developing active citizenship and youth participation. Each programme will always be implemented in a minimum of two secondary schools in collaboration with a local educator.

Main activities

• Educational programme No. 1 “Communication and Critical Thinking”: the methodology of the programme will be developed for work in the classroom for one and a half school years, where students’ competences will be developed, focusing on critical thinking, active listening, effective and interpersonal communication, self-knowledge, debating and controversial and topical issues such as human rights, democratic culture, education for sustainable development, ethical education, etc.
• Educational programme No. 2 “Active citizenship and participation at local level”: a programme methodology will be developed to work in the classroom for one and a half school years, developing students’ competences aimed at education for conscious citizenship and opportunities for active participation. Students will visit democratic institutions, learn about how they work and learn to actively participate in social events at the local level.