One hundred students marched through the center of Prague, demanding official maturity
The protest initiative in Prague for a fair high school diploma and against the Ministry of Education to Robert Plag (for YES) was organized by the student initiatives Fair Matura and NO: BRZO.
“Plaga out!”
While marching accompanied by the police, the students first headed across the Vltava below Letná, then went to the Government Office, where they chanted “Plaga out!” And the like for a quarter of an hour.
The protesters also stopped at the Office of the Government.
Photo: Michal Kamaryt, CTK
They usually occupied only one lane, so they did not completely block traffic. The event was supervised by several dozen men in uniform.
The march ended around half past five in front of the Ministry of Education, leaving a graduation certificate in front of the building. It stated that “Minister Robert Plaga, originally from Ivančice, the citizenship of Peklo, did not benefit from any of the four subjects – the willingness to help, humanity, communication and discussion, and the principles of democracy.”
Participants in the protest march for a fair high school diploma, which takes place on May 17 in Prague, placed a certificate for Minister Plaga at the building of the Ministry of Education.
Photo: Michal Kamaryt, CTK
YES and the CSSD originally wanted Plaga to allow the graduating high school graduates to obtain a high school diploma this year on the basis of the average of marks for their studies to date.
According to Plaga, this would be an illegal procedure, the form of graduation is determined by law. In recent months, Prime Minister Babiš also worked for the official graduation.
For example, the Union of School Associations or the Association of Grammar School Principals also opposed the official school-leaving examination. According to them, such a change in the school-leaving examination would mean inequality before the law for past and future graduates. In addition, the principals of the secondary school pointed out that the graduates were already acquainted with the modifications of this year’s exams.
High school students want bigger changes
Already in January, it was decided to abolish styles for this year’s graduations. In March, then, that high school graduates do not have to pass the oral high school exams in Czech and a foreign language this year. They will be able to choose them voluntarily.
“Unsuccessful graduates will also have the opportunity to correct the didactic tests in July and correct the practical exam by the end of the summer,” said Plaga at the end of April.
The ministry will increase the number of corrective attempts from the usual two to three. “If the graduates do not take the tests for the first time at the end of May, they will be able to repair them by July 7-9,” then Aneta Lednová, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
Participants in a protest march for a fair high school diploma
Photo: Michal Kamaryt, CTK
“We wanted more significant changes – the abolition of the practical parts and the oral part, leaving only the didactic tests (from Cermat – editor’s note). We have often called on Minister Plaga to communicate, “said the organizers at the beginning of the protest.
This year, due to the coronavirus epidemic, the date of state matura tests has been moved from the beginning of May to May 24-26. Similarly, the school-leaving examination period did not start on 16 May, as expected, but will be from 1 June to 23 July. The practical tests, which we have to start from 1 April, can take place from 19 April to 27 August.