Switzerland still has one of the stronger school systems in the rich world. Its 15-year-olds score above the OECD average in PISA. But the ranking conceals a less reassuring trend: Swiss pupils are getting worse at some of the basic things schools are meant to teach. In the latest results Switzerland scored 499 points in […]
Graduate unemployment rises dramatically in Switzerland
Unemployment among graduates from Swiss universities and universities of applied sciences increased between 2023 and 2025, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). One year after graduation, the unemployment rate as defined by the International Labour Organisation rose from 3.9% to 6.4% among holders of a university master’s degree, and from 3.4% to 4.9% among […]
Most Swiss primary pupils perform well, according to assessment
Swiss schools appear to be succeeding at their most basic task. According to a nationwide assessment published by Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education, the overwhelming majority of children in the fourth year of HarmoS schooling—the equivalent of second grade in primary school—meet national standards in mathematics and language skills. The survey, conducted in […]
Summer camps qualify for childcare tax deductions, decides Swiss court
Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court has ruled in favour of parents seeking to deduct certain summer-camp costs from their taxes, reported RTS. The case arose in the canton of Geneva, where a couple enrolled their children in creative courses at a private language school. The sessions took place every Wednesday from 9am to 1pm. During school […]
A lesson in national cohesion – federal government considers forcing Swiss cantons to teach French
Switzerland’s government is considering forcing cantons to keep teaching a second national language in primary schools. The Federal Council said on September 19th that it would draft a law to that effect, though the rule would bite only if the 2004 compromise on language teaching were abandoned. Some German-speaking cantons have moved French from the […]
Tiktoc inspired school shooting threats create headache for Swiss police
Recent threats of school shootings in several Swiss cantons have created extra work for the local police, reported SRF. The threats seem to be inspired by posts on the social media platform Tiktok. Around one month ago, a shooting threat was found posted in a school toilet in Muttenz in the canton of Basel Landschaft. […]
Over half of Swiss families struggling to make ends meet
A survey published this week by the organisation Pro Familia shows that 52% of families across Switzerland are struggling to make ends meet. For many families in Switzerland, money is tight or insufficient to cover all living expenses. The percentage finding themselves in this position rose from 47% to 52%. The rising cost of health […]
ETH Zurich ranked best university in continental Europe
In a global university ranking done by Times Higher Education ETH Zurich was ranked 15th, the highest ranked university in continental Europe. The next continental European university on the list was the University of Munich (32nd). EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland’s other Federal university was ranked 40th in a global ranking of more than 1,600 universities […]
Swiss PISA scores continue to decline in 2018
On 3 December 2019, the OECD published the 2018 PISA scores for 79 countries. In Switzerland, around 6,000 school pupils born in 2002 from more than 200 school across Switzerland took the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) test. PISA, run every three years, assesses the extent to which 15-year-old students, near the end of […]
Swiss language row continues
A recent poll shows a majority of Switzerland’s politicians want cantons to be required to teach a second Swiss language at primary school, reported swissinfo. Two thirds of the 246 politicians surveyed said national cohesion could be threatened. The canton’s of Thurgau and Nidwalden recently changed the rules to delay French until secondary school and […]
