Framework Curricula for Secondary Schools

FRAMEWORK CURRICULA FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

VOLUME ONE

(GRAMMAR SCHOOLS)

DINASZTIA PUBLISHING COMPANY - BUDAPEST, 2000

FRAMEWORK CURRICULA FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

VOLUME I

(GRAMMAR SCHOOLS)

The text of the Decree on the issue, introduction and application of Framework Curricula as approved by the Minister of Education

Based on the authorisation contained by Section 94.1 (a) of Act LXXIX of 1993 on Public Education, and the subsequent amendments thereof (hereinafter referred to as the Public Education Act), and in agreement with the Minister of Finance, with regard to the provisions of Section 15 (1), I hereby decree following:

General Provisions

Section 1

Without reference to the sponsor of the institution, the scope of this Decree shall include the following:

(a) primary schools;

(b) skilled worker training schools and trade schools (hereinafter referred to as ‘trade schools’);

(c) grammar schools, vocational secondary schools (hereinafter grammar schools and professional schools together are referred to as ‘secondary schools’, trade schools and vocational secondary schools are referred to as ‘vocational schools’; schools listed under points (a) through (c) are referred to as ‘schools’);

(d) the students who attend the schools;

(e) students’ parents or legal guardians (hereinafter referred to as ‘parents’).

Section 2

(1) With respect to the development of the Local Curriculum as part of the school’s educational programme, as defined in Section 45.2 of the Public Education Act, the Framework Curricula issued as Appendix 1 to this Decree shall be applied as follows:

(a) primary schools must apply the Decree for the first phase of elementary education starting in year one and ending in year four of education, the second phase of elementary education starting in year five and ending in year eight of education;

(b) trade schools and secondary schools must apply the Decree for years nine, ten, eleven and twelve of education, i.e. secondary level education;

(c) grammar schools with six or eight year provision must apply the Decree for the second phase of elementary education starting in year five and ending in year eight of education, as well as for secondary education;

(d) and the Decree shall be also applicable by schools providing adult education within the school system.

(2) For the preparation of the local curriculum, vocational schools must also consider courses in career guidance, professional preparatory courses, professional guidance and introduction to groups of professions, which will be published on 31 December 2000 as part of the Framework Curricula.

(3) Standard schools must prepare their local curricula by using the listed Framework Curricula and observing the provisions of Section 48.3 of the Public Education Act and the provisions contained herein.

(4) The following must also be considered for the development of a local curriculum:

(a) schools involved in provision for national and ethnic minorities must consider the guidelines for national and ethnic minority provision;

(b) bilingual schools must consider the guidelines for bilingual provision;

(d) secondary schools must consider the requirements of the secondary school leaving examination;

(e) Vocational schools must consider the central programme.

(5) The Framework Curricula and the subject modules of national and ethnic minority provision (teaching the mother tongue, literature and civilisation) and the lesson plans prepared with reference to Section 11.9 will be published continuously until 31 December 2000.

Provisions on how to develop the structure of classes

Section 3

(1) In terms of the school’s educational and organisational tasks a class may be

(a) planned within the time frame defined in Section 52.3 of the Public Education Act

(aa) with the purpose of teaching the contents of a subject or module identified in the Framework Curriculum;

(ab) with the purpose of teaching some material identified within the school’s local curriculum but not required specifically by the Framework Curricula.

[(hereinafter referred to as ‘classes outside the framework curricula); classes under (a) are referred to as ‘compulsory classes’];

(b) a non-compulsory class organised within the time frame defined in Section 52.7 of the Public Education Act.

(2) In order to activate and motivate students classes may be organised in ways other than the conventional method, provided that the transmission of the prescribed content and the fulfilment of the requirements are ensured. Examples to this approach are the project method, school in the forest, museum sessions, library sessions, and classes combined with an art show or exhibition.

(3) The classes outside the framework curricula are for the purpose of applying previously acquired knowledge, developing skills and abilities, acquiring additional knowledge, skills and abilities, and teaching the material of subjects identified in the school’s local curriculum, but not included in the Framework Curriculum.

(4) Unless provided for otherwise in the guidelines for national and ethnic minority provision, within the framework of provision for national and ethnic minorities, classes organised within the time frame defined in Section 52.4 of the Public Education Act may be incorporated into the local curriculum as classes outside the Framework Curricula. In case of provision for the disabled habilitation and rehabilitation sessions with medical and pedagogical purposes organised within the time frame defined in Section 52.6 of the Public Education Act may be incorporated into the local curriculum as classes outside the Framework Curricula.

(5) Within the local curriculum the unused proportion of the time prescribed by the Framework Curricula for the specific purpose of

(a) career guidance, professional preparatory courses, professional introduction, or

(b) professional guidance, introduction to groups of professions

may be used for classes outside the Framework Curricula by trade schools and vocational secondary schools, respectively.

(6) If a school organises provision for mixed classes in accordance with point 4 Chapter II of Appendix 3 of the Public Education Act, classes must be incorporated into the local curriculum by considering the specific nature of teaching mixed classes, specifying the proportion of teaching time in segregated groups.

(7) If the school organises provision in a full day format (boarding school style), the local curriculum must include teaching tasks required by interlocking the activities of regular classes and afternoon sessions in the day-care facility.

Section 4

(1) Non-compulsory classes organised within the time frame defined in Section 52.7 of the Public Education Act may be the following:

(a) in years one through four of education: classes to cover the syllabi of specific skills subjects identified in Section 121.1 (17) of the Public Education Act, classes to facilitate the acquisition and practice of artistic activities, sports and crafts, classes devoted for health, and classes directly related to national and ethnic provision or bilingual provision;

(b) in years one through three of education: classes used for foreign language teaching;

(c) in years five through eight of education: classes used for teaching the syllabi of subjects listed under the above points (a) and (b), subjects not included in the Framework Curriculum, and advanced level provision;

(d) in years nine through twelve of education: classes used for subjects listed under the above point (c), as well as lessons used for the teaching of public skills and classes preparing for employment at grammar schools.

(2) In years one through three of education classes used for foreign language teaching may only be organised by using the time allocated for non-compulsory classes.

Section 5

(1) As a response to students’ intentions regarding continuing education, advanced level provision built around special syllabi and special requirements organised for groups of students may be incorporated into the Local Curriculum as a compulsory or non-compulsory class.

(2) Advanced provision may be arranged for the teaching of a particular subject or an integrated subject.

(3) Provision is considered to be advanced level, if the content of a subject or integrated subject identified within the Framework Curriculum is taught

(a) by setting higher requirements than the ones specified in the Framework Curriculum, and supplemented with material containing additional informational;

(b) for at least two years;

(c) using at least 50 percent more average annual teaching time, than the number of lessons required by the Framework Curriculum with respect to that particular subject or the subjects involved in case of integrated subjects. In case of foreign languages an additional requirement is that advanced provision must be organised by dividing the class into smaller groups. Division is not required though, if class size is below 50 percent of the maximum size specified in the Public Education Act.

Student attendance

Section 6

(1) In terms of student attendance a class may be

(a) compulsory, or

(b) non-compulsory.

(2) Compulsory classes are aimed at the acquisition of the content and the fulfilment of the requirements of subjects and modules identified in the Framework Curriculum, and acquisition of the content and the fulfilment of the requirements of the material identified in the local curriculum, which is not bound by the constraints of the Framework Curriculum.

(3) If a school develops its local curriculum in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.6 contained herein, the local curriculum must specify optional courses students can choose from, and the number of courses to be chosen.

Section 7

(1) If a student was admitted to a non-compulsory course upon his or her request, the student must attend the classes where the course is taught until the end of the academic year or until the end of the course, whichever is earlier, provided that this fact has been communicated to the student and the parents of minors via the school bulletin, if any, or the locally used form of communication, in writing, before the student applies for a non-compulsory course.

(2) Except as specified in paragraph (3) herein, if the material and the requirements identified in the school’s local curriculum can only be acquired or fulfilled by taking non-compulsory courses, school registration at the school shall also mean that the enrolled student has agreed to take non-compulsory courses, provided that the school provides written information thereof for students and the parents of minors before registration.

(3) Schools with compulsory admission and schools involved in minority provision must ensure that those who do not wish to take non-compulsory courses may also begin or continue their studies.

(4) Every school must make a survey on how many students do not want to take non-compulsory courses, specifying the courses in question, every year by 20 May. If a student do not wish to take a non-compulsory course in the subsequent school year, or wishes to register for a non-compulsory course, a written announcement must be made by the student or, in case of minors, by the student’s parent to communicate the student’s intentions.

Section 8

(1) In years one and two of education, students may not have more than five periods a day including compulsory or non-compulsory classes alike.

(2) The weekly total of student hours including compulsory and non-compulsory classes may not exceed the time allocated to compulsory classes in the requirements of Sections 52.3 through 52.5 of the Public Education Act by more than a maximum of two hours in years one through six of education, a maximum of three hours in years seven through twelve of education. In national and ethnic minority provision and bilingual provision, the limit is four hours in years one through eight of education and a maximum of five hours in years nine through twelve of education.

(3) For the application of the above Section 8.2, the time allocated to physical education beyond the compulsory hours specified in the Framework Curriculum, afternoon sessions in case of all-day provision (day-care facility), and religious education provided by schools sponsored by others than the state or the local government pursuant to Section 81.1 (a) of the Public Education Act, may be left out of consideration.

(4) For the application of the above Section 8.2, the time allocated to habilitation and rehabilitation courses organised with medical and pedagogical purposes pursuant to Section 52.6 of the Public Education Act, individual sessions under Section 52.10 of the Public Education Act, and extra-curricular activities organised pursuant to Sections 53.1 through 53.5 of the Public Education Act, may be left out of consideration.

Section 9

(1) Every year, by 15 March, the head of the school shall prepare and publish a brochure with the list of subjects students may choose from, which, in case of secondary schools, must include information on the level of instruction. The brochure must also include the names of teachers who are expected to teach the various subjects. Before the approval of the brochure the School Board and the school’s student self-government must be consulted.

(2) Students may submit their choice of subject and level of instruction by 20 May. Students who start a new school or change school, and therefore are unable to exercise their right of choice, should discuss their intentions with the head of the secondary school or the teacher appointed by the head of the school before the applications for admission are judged.

(3) With the permission of the head of the school students may change their choice. Students must be informed of this right in writing.

(4) In case of minors, a parent must exercise the right of choosing subjects. As of the year that the child turns 14, parents may exercise said right together with the child, provided the child is not incapable.

(5) Procedural issues in connection with the selection of subjects and the modification of the selection are governed by the rules of the school.

Provisions for the development of the local curriculum

Section 10

(1) Unless provided for to the contrary herein, the local curriculum of a school must contain the subjects and modules specified by the Framework Curriculum with respect to the various grades, as well as the time requirement expressed in the number of teaching hours. The annual teaching hour requirement specified by the Framework Curriculum must be fulfilled by the end of a given school year, unless provided for to the contrary herein.

(2) Unless provided for to the contrary herein, the local curriculum of a school must also contain content of the subjects and modules specified by the Framework Curriculum as defined for the various years of education.

(3) The local curriculum may specify that the content of a particular module must be taught differently from what is specified in the Framework Curriculum, i.e. by integrating subjects in a way that the number of teaching hours required with respect to the given module must be added to the teaching hours of the integrating subject.

(4) Integrated subjects may be the integration of subjects, or the integration of subjects and modules required to be taught by the local curriculum or the Framework Curriculum. Integration means incorporating the contents specified in the Framework Curriculum into one subject (hereinafter referred to as ‘integrated subject’), which is taught in a number of hours equal with the total of the teaching hours of the incorporated subjects or modules, as specified in the framework Curriculum, unless provided for to the contrary herein. Integrated subjects may also be created by the integration of classes outside the Framework Curriculum.

(5) A school’s Local Curriculum must include the promotion of healthy lifestyle, health protection as part of the educational activities of the teacher who has the main responsibility for the class. The time allocated to these classes must not be less than ten teaching hours per grade in years five through twelve of education.

(6) In years eleven and twelve of education, a secondary schools’ local curriculum must provide students with an opportunity to prepare for the school leaving examination by learning the compulsory subjects on an advanced level, if they wish to. Also an opportunity must be provided for preparing for the school leaving examination and the start of higher education in every subject which are specified as compulsory subjects in years nine through twelve by the Framework Curriculum. Secondary schools may arrange this in co-operation based on mutual agreements.

(7) A trade school’s local curriculum must include at least 222 teaching hours per year and per vocational class allocated to the teaching of the foundations of general education. Within that a yearly 37 teaching hours must be allocated to the module ‘Social Studies and Ethics’. The content of this module is identical with the content of the ‘Social Studies and Ethics’ module in the Framework Curriculum for vocational secondary schools.

(8) The Framework Curriculum for vocational secondary schools should only specify the overall time requirement for the teaching of physics, geography, biology, chemistry and information technology. The number of teaching hours with respect to the individual subjects must be identified in the local curriculum making sure that at least 111 teaching hours per subject must be allocated to physics, chemistry, geography and biology in years nine and ten of education.