5.10 Current debates and reforms
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Forthcoming policy development
Participation within the implemetation of the Child Guarantee
National Implementation plan of the Child Guarantee (approved on 16 November 2022, but not being publicised and promoted yet) defines as one of its goals “creation of an environment friendly to involving children in decision-making processes”. This should be facilitated by the Czech participation in the project “Strengthening the participation of children in policy and decision making at the national level in EU member states”, which is being implemented by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is a partner of the project.
The new post-2020 National Youth Strategy - "Youth Concept 2025-2030" is currently being finalized as an inter-ministerial strategy document covering the whole area of youth policy, i.e. support for young people in the Czech Republic. It should be adopted by the government in mid 2025. Support for young people aims at the inclusive and meaningful participation of young people in the process of education and acquisition of life competences, in the labour market and in public life.
Ongoing debates
Coordination of national youth representation
National Parliament of Children and Youth ceased to exist in 2021. Following that, the National Forum of Parliaments of Children and Youth (Republikové fórum parlamentů dětí a mládeže) was established in 2023, as a new open platform that brings together self-governing participatory youth bodies (parliaments/councils/youth councils) and promotes the development of young people and their active involvement in public decision-making through interconnection, strengthening and representation of the interests of youth parliaments at the national level. The project of the National Forum is coordinated and organised by the Czech Council of Children and Youth and makes a part of the Structured Dialogue with Youth.
Citizenship Education in the national curricula for basic education
There is an ongoing debate on citizenship education. In December 2014, the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament adopted Resolution to promote citizenship education. Based on the Resolution, in 2016 the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports started the Systematic support for citizenship education in schools by experimental testing to stabilise the role of pupils' parliaments in citizenship education.
Revision of national curricula is undergoing based on the Ministry of Education´s decision. The National Pedagogical Institute is responsible for the preparation. Within the revision process, many changes are discussed related to youth participation in school as well as regarding the citizenship education. In 2019 the first draft of the expert works on new curricula was presented via a webinar and the public debate was opened. The revised curriculum was presented in early 2021. However, the cuts in hours for the new curricula (in favor of digital education) face a wave of criticism in Spring 2021.
Youth participation and the Structured Dialogue with Youth
In the end of November 2018, the Council of EU approved a new EU Youth Strategy for 2019 - 2027. Its implementation impacts heavily also the topic of youth participation and changes on the EU level also the processes of the Structured Dialogue with youth creating new "EU Youth Dialogue". As the nationally adopted concept od the Structured dialogue with Youth became an important concept in the Czech Youth Policy, the new implications are discussed.