Fundamental Pedagogy Jana Doležalová

11.2 Structure of the School System 
11.2.1 Concept of the ‘School System – Education System’ 
The school system designates a summary of all stages and types of school 
institutions active in a certain administrative area at the given time. The school 
system is represented by all facilities having a character of school and being 
defined by legislation as such. 
The education system has a wider meaning than the school system. It covers 
all educational facilities. It also includes institutions falling outside the formal 
school system, i.e. institutions offering activities whose character is related to 
education and awareness.

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The term ‘education system’ is now used more often and replaces the term 
‘school system’ as it covers the institutional structure of schools as well as 
school management and administration, curriculum, student structure, 
involvement of family, and external economic, political and social conditions and 
the context of educational policy (Vašutová, Váňová, 1998).
School stages correspond to the structure of the school system and relate to 
certain age periods. 
School types are differentiated either by the incorporator (state, private, 
church schools) or the curriculum (schools of general or vocational education).
School categories mean a more specific designation of the institution’s 
educational focus (kindergarten, basic school, etc.). (Vašutová, Váňová, 1998) 
School facilities according to J. Manniová (2005): 

educational (kindergarten, basic school, secondary school, leisure time 
centre, out-of-school-care centre, open-air school);

facilities for special education; 

interest-based educational institutions; 

school, purpose-based facilities. 
The school system is characterised by 

the length of mandatory school attendance; 

the hierarchy of school system objectives; 

the curriculum (a summary of requirements regarding the outcome and 
course of education: objectives, content, teaching and education 
methods); 

the functions of the education system (identical with the school’s 
functions to a certain extent). 
The school system is managed either by a central body, primarily by the 
government via the Ministry of Education (centralised school system) or by 
lower management elements having the decision-making powers even though 
there are also competent ministries (decentralised school system).
The school system must be flexible with regard to the needs of the society and 
the labour market and it must be efficient, which is influenced by the given 
country’s economy.