Education in Switzerland - Cantonal School Systems

Cantonal School Systems

While compulsory schooling in Switzerland is 9 years long, many of the specifics of the system vary by canton. In most cases, the primary level lasts 6 years, and the lower secondary level 3 years. In only a few cantons, the primary level lasts 4 or 5 years and entrance to the lower secondary level thus occurs either in school year 5 (duration: 5 years) or school year 6 (duration: 4 years). In more than half of the cantons, it is compulsory to attend pre-school. In almost all cantons, the municipalities are obliged to provide pre-school classes.

This table shows the school system for 2009/2010 and how the lower secondary schools are organized:

Canton Years of
Kindergarten		 Years of Kindergarten provided Years of Kindergarten legally required Length of Primary School Length of mandatory Secondary School Separate Secondary Schools? Cooperative Secondary Schools? Integrated Secondary Schools?
Zurich 2 2 2 6 3 Yes No No
Bern 1 1 0 6 3 Yes Yes Yes
Lucerne 1 1 1 6 3 Yes Yes Yes
Uri 1 1 0 6 3 No No Yes
Schwyz 1 1 1 6 3 No No Yes
Obwalden 1 1 1 6 3 No No Yes
Nidwalden 2 2 1 6 3 No No Yes
Glarus 2 2 1 6 3 Yes Yes Yes
Zug 2 1 1 6 3 No No Yes
Fribourg 2 1 or 2 0 or 2 6 3 Yes No Yes
Solothurn 2 2 0 6 3 Yes Yes Yes
Basel-Stadt 2 2 2 4 5 Yes No No
Basel-Landschaft 2 2 1 5 4 Yes No No
Schaffhausen 2 2 1 6 3 No No Yes
Appenzell Ausserrhoden 2 2 1 6 3 Yes Yes Yes
Appenzell Innerrhoden 2 2 1 6 3 Yes Yes Yes
St. Gallen 2 2 2 6 3 No No Yes
Graubünden 1 1 0 6 3 Yes No No
Aargau 1 1 0 5 4 Yes No No
Thurgau 2 2 2 6 3 Yes No No
Ticino 3 3 0 5 4 Yes No No
Vaud 2 2 0 4 5 Yes No No
Valais 1 0 0 6 3 Yes No No
Neuchâtel 2 2 0 5 4 Yes No No
Geneva 2 2 0 6 3 Yes No No
Jura 2 2 0 6 3 Yes No No

Read more about this topic:  Education In Switzerland

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