Education Gymi rate in Zug exceeds the government's expectations

23.4 percent of Zug's sixth-graders transfer to a long-term grammar school after the summer vacations. Too many, according to the Zug government.

This figure is above the government's target, according to a press release issued by the Zug Directorate of Education and Culture on Thursday. After the cantonal and government councils have been following this development "with concern" for some time, concrete steps have now been initiated, it continues.

The Education Council, which is responsible for the transfer procedure, intends to supplement the previous procedure from primary level to long-term grammar school with preliminary grades (experience value) and teacher recommendation (predicted value) with a calibrated test (comparative value).

The new performance hurdle for the long-term grammar school should strengthen the secondary school and with it all educational pathways. The measure is not aimed at the grammar school per se, but rather at strengthening the short-term grammar school. After secondary school, the transfer to the short-term grammar school should remain examination-free.

The accusation made by opponents that Zug is adopting Zurich's rigid transfer procedure is therefore unfounded, it continues. Anyone who wants to transfer to the gymnasium after secondary school has to take an exam.

The draft of Zug's new transfer regulations is out for consultation until the end of September. Opposition to the plans is growing: signatures are already being collected for a referendum to ensure that the transfer remains exam-free.

Disagreement in 33 cases

A total of 1394 pupils completed the exam-free transfer procedure this year. 41.6 percent transferred to secondary school, 19.7 percent to secondary modern school and 0.9 percent to a vocational school.

In 33 cases, parents and teachers were unable to reach an agreement. The Zug Directorate of Education and Culture announced on Thursday that in these cases the transfer committee had to decide on the allocation. Just under a fifth of these children were subsequently assigned to a higher type of school. This was in line with the parents' wishes, it added.