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Education
Switzerland Map
Compulsory schooling lasts eleven years. Primary school - including two years of kindergarten or the first two years of an introductory level - lasts eight years, while lower secondary school lasts three years. In the canton of Ticino, lower secondary school (Scuola media) lasts four years. Children are generally four years old when they start compulsory schooling.
Organization of compulsory schooling
The cantons are responsible for compulsory schooling. They set the curricula and timetables and determine the teaching materials. In accordance with the International Agreement on the Harmonisation of Compulsory Education, language-regional curricula are used in compulsory education: Curriculum 21 in German-speaking Switzerland, the Plan d'études romand in French-speaking Switzerland (PER), and the Piano di studio in the canton of Ticino.
The municipalities organize the school operations. The high degree of local anchoring allows for locally adapted solutions.
Attendance at public compulsory school is free of charge for all children. 95% of children attend public institutions. Compulsory schooling also applies to children without regular residence status. At school, pupils with different levels of development, different levels of ability, social and linguistic backgrounds, and different behavior come together. This heterogeneity of performance and talent among the pupils as well as the cultural heterogeneity of the classes pose great challenges for the school. With appropriate measures, the school ensures joint learning. The pupils receive differentiated and individualized instruction and are individually supported by the regular school teachers or, if necessary, by specialists (e.g. special education teachers). Support measures in the mainstream school include support for gifted children, language support, language support for foreign-language children, support in individual subjects, speech therapy, psychomotor therapy, etc. If the need for support exceeds the possibilities of mainstream teaching, additional measures are taken.
More information Primary level
More information Secondary level I
More information on special needs education
Information and Documentation Centre IDES
+41 31 309 51 00
On behalf of the EDK and SERI
Ukraine Internet pages of the Swiss cantons
Aargau AG
Contact Ukraine-Hotline Aargau
Phone: 062 835 11 33
Availability
Monday to Friday: 8:00 - 20:00 by e-mail and phone
Saturday to Sunday: by e-mail: ukraine@ag.ch
Appenzell Ausserrhoden AR
Educational Resources for Ukrainian Children (Ukrainian)
Educational Resources for Ukrainian Children (English translation)
Appenzell Innerrhoden AI
Cantonal contact point
E-mail: ukraine-hilfe@ai.ch
Phone: +41 71 788 95 91
Basel-Landschaft BL
If you have any questions about primary schools, please contact the Special Education Department of the Office for Primary Schools (telephone 061 552 50 98; bksd.sonderpaedagigk@bl.ch).
Offers for young people from Ukraine born 1997-2007
If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Boos, Head of the Coordination Office for Bridge Courses (061/552 28 01; brueckenangebote@bl.ch).
Basel-Stadt BS
Canton Basel-City Department of Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs
Rheinsprung 16/18
CH-4001 Basel
Phone: +41 (0)61 267 85 44
Bern BE
Directorate of Education and Culture (BKD)
Sulgeneckstrasse 70
3005 Bern
Phone +41 31 633 85 11
Fax +41 31 633 83 55
Freiburg FR
Directorate of Health and Social Affairs GSD
Rte des Cliniques 17
1700 Fribourg
Phone: +41 26 305 29 04
Counter hours
Monday-Friday 08:00-11:30, 14:00-16:30
Saturday-Sunday closed
Before holidays
16:00
Genf GE
For all questions related to the enrolment of pupils in compulsory school (4-15 years):
T. 022 327 04 82 (office hours);
E-mail: admissions.ukraine@etat.ge.ch
Glarus GL
Hotline Ukraine
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 13.15 - 17.00:
Phone: 0041 41 55 646 67 70
E-Mail: asylbetreuung@gl.ch
In a padlet, the municipality of Glarus Süd has compiled links in the context of school and care.
Graubünden GR
Jura JU
The Education Department has set up a scheme to receive school-age children who have fled the conflicts in Ukraine. Families are invited to register their children with the school management of their place of accommodation.
Luzern LU
If you have any questions about the school, please contact the Elementary School Education Office.
(Tel. 041 228 68 68, info.dvs@lu.ch).
Neuenburg NE
E-mail: SMIG.Ukraine@ne.ch
Phone : 032 889 63 11
Opening hours of the counters :
Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 12:00 and Wednesday from 13:30 to 17:00
Nidwalden NW
Registrations for the schooling of Ukrainian
children are made via the secretariat of the
Nidwalden Education Department:
Telephone +41 41 618 74 01 or bildungsdirektion@nw.ch.
Obwalden OW
Refugees with protection status S can register for the enrolment of school-age children at the school secretariat of the municipalities. You can find information on school enrolment in the following flyer.
St. Gallen SG
Schaffhausen SH
The first point of contact for the registration of families from Ukraine is the cantonal social welfare office.
Please contact Fabienne Erne, Head of Integration and Social Counselling, directly.
Mail: fabienne.erne@sh.ch.
Tel: 052 632 71 48.
Schwyz SZ
Solothurn SO
Tessin TI
Thurgau TG
Uri UR
Phone: +41 41 535 00 38
(Mo-Fr 09.00-11.30 und 13.30-16.00 Uhr)
Waadt VD
Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm:
Walli VS
0041 41 27 606 48 74 or 0041 79 765 70 95
(Mondays to Fridays, during office hours).
Zürich
Elementary School Office - Special Support Department, Intercultural Education Sector
Email: ikp@vsa.zh.ch
Zug ZG
Office for Municipal Schools
Telephone + 41 41 728 31 50