The canton of Zurich has decided that, starting in the 2029/2030 school year, all long-term grammar schools in the canton must also offer a short-term grammar school.

In the following article, we explain which long-term grammar schools are affected by the new regulation, the reasons for the widespread introduction of short-term grammar schools at all long-term grammar schools, and the pros and cons that were expressed in the subsequent discussion.

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Table of contents

From 2029/30: all long-term grammar schools will also be short-term grammar schools
Reasons for introducing short-term grammar schools at long-term grammar schools
Discussion about the introduction of short-term grammar schools at long-term grammar schools

From 2029/30: all long-term grammar schools will also be short-term grammar schools

At the request of the Zurich Cantonal Education Directorate, the Education Council has decided that, starting in the 2029/2030 school year, all long-term grammar schools in the canton of Zurich must also offer a short-term grammar school programme in upper grammar school, i.e. they must accept secondary school students in upper grammar school. Incidentally, the Education Council is a body elected by the Zurich Cantonal Council for a four-year term.

This change specifically affects the four long-term grammar schools Rämibühl Literargymnasium (KRL), Rämibühl Realgymnasium (KRR), Hohe Promenade (KHP) and the Kantonsschule Rychenberg Winterthur (KRW), which do not currently offer short-term grammar school education in upper grammar school, but only long-term grammar school education. The other long-term grammar schools in the canton of Zurich already offer short-term grammar school education. In addition, there are also a number of schools in the canton of Zurich that offer only short-term grammar school education. The canton of Zurich has a total of 22 grammar schools and one cantonal school offering the Matura examination for adults.

For an overview of the various grammar schools in the canton of Zurich, read our article «All grammar schools in the canton of Zurich and their grammar school profiles».

The comprehensive introduction of short grammar schools at all long grammar schools in Zurich should not cost any more money, as the number of pupils would remain the same. The accompanying support measures for teachers during the transition and the additional organisational costs are to be compensated for internally.

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Reasons for introducing short-term grammar schools at long-term grammar schools

The cantonal education department and the cantonal education council cite several reasons for introducing the short-term grammar school programme at all long-term grammar schools in the canton of Zurich.

Better distribution of school space

In recent years, the city of Zurich in particular has seen enrolment figures for upper grammar schools (short-term grammar schools) exceed the number of places available. As a result, some pupils living in the city of Zurich have had to attend short-term grammar schools outside the city. Of the four long-term grammar schools in the canton of Zurich that do not yet offer short-term grammar school education, three are located in the city of Zurich. The cantonal education council therefore argues that the lack of places for secondary school pupils at these long-term grammar schools exacerbates the shortage of short-term grammar school places in the city of Zurich.

Standardisation of class sizes

In its press release on the subject, the Education Department of the Canton of Zurich states that classes at grammar schools offering a short grammar school programme are larger than those at schools offering only a long grammar school programme. The hope is therefore that class sizes in upper grammar schools will be harmonised between schools offering only a long grammar school programme and other grammar schools.

Better mixing of pupils

In addition, the aim is to achieve a better mix of pupils with different educational backgrounds. This is because at purely long-term grammar schools, pupils remain among themselves throughout their entire school career, including in upper grammar school, as no secondary school pupils join them there.

Discussion about the introduction of short-term grammar schools at long-term grammar schools

The decision by the Education Council that all long-term grammar schools in Zurich must also offer a short-term grammar school programme from 2029/2030 onwards has already been met with harsh criticism, particularly from the Zurich news blog “Inside Paradeplatz”.

“Inside Paradeplatz” is particularly critical of the fact that long-term grammar schools have traditionally been regarded as breeding grounds for young scientists and that the introduction of short-term grammar schools at all long-term grammar schools would lead to a levelling down of standards. There are fears that long-term grammar school pupils will have to adapt to the allegedly lower performance level of secondary school pupils joining them in upper grammar school.

The abolition of purely long-term grammar schools is therefore a decision against the principle of meritocracy. In future, it will no longer be possible to distinguish oneself on the basis of performance at state grammar schools in the canton of Zurich. From 2029/2030, anyone who wants to belong to the educational elite will have to attend a private grammar school, which only wealthy parents can afford. In this respect, the introduction of short grammar schools at all long grammar schools is also a step towards greater inequality of opportunity, because poorer social classes will no longer be able to rise to the educational elite due to their lack of access to private grammar schools.

It should also not be forgotten that it is precisely the long-term grammar schools without short-term grammar schools that rank at the top of the list of the best grammar schools in the canton of Zurich; the Rychenberg cantonal school is ranked number 1 in two different grammar school rankings.

FDP cantonal councillor Marc Bourgeois also sharply criticises the new regulation:
‘Once again, it's all about the mantra of education policy: levelling down. So that in the end, everyone is the same – equally bad.’

The NZZ understands Bourgeois' statement to mean that he sees the Education Council's decision as an attack on the institution of long-term grammar schools per se.

Roland Lüthi, headmaster of the Zürcher Unterland cantonal school, says in the Tagesanzeiger that he cannot confirm the prejudice that secondary school pupils at the upper grammar school are worse than those who come from the lower grammar school, i.e. the long grammar school pupils. He admits that secondary school pupils have certain gaps in their technical vocabulary because they do not attend Latin lessons, which are compulsory in the first two years of long-term grammar schools.

However, Lüthi observes that secondary school pupils are better at organising themselves. After a year, he says, there is hardly any difference between pupils from the lower grammar school and secondary school pupils. In addition, pupils who transfer from secondary school to the short grammar school regularly receive awards for the best Matura results.

In its press release, the Zurich Cantonal Education Authority also states that investigations and surveys conducted by the Secondary School and Vocational Training Office have shown that a majority of grammar schools would welcome the opening of all long-term grammar schools to secondary school pupils.

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