Dear Champiteans,
As a school of reference in its region, the school plays an active role in influencing the framework conditions for private education in Vaud and Switzerland.
Our dean of the Swiss Maturité, for example, is president of the GREM (French-speaking Switzerland group of private schools presenting students to the Swiss Maturity) and a member of the CSM (Swiss Committee on Maturity: the Confederation's group of experts). I myself am a member of the committee of AVDEP, the Vaud association of private schools, for 8 years.
I'd like to keep you abreast of some interesting developments:
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The Private Education Act dates from 1984 and needs updating. The revision project initiated by Ms Amarelle enabled the AVDEP to assert its interests and amend the draft. The current Vaud education minister, Mr F. Borloz, will be presenting his draft to the government shortly, and probably to the cantonal parliament in the autumn. In its current version, the draft revision will ensure that our schools are not subjected to overly close economic supervision, and that they are not brought into strict conformity with the teaching methods of the public sector: we need to preserve our specific characteristics and our freedom.
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The question of the right of Vaud private schools to offer their pupils the cantonal Maturité exam, as is the case in the majority of German-speaking cantons and Swiss schools abroad, is also likely to be put to parliament and will no doubt provoke debate. We are preparing a lobbying campaign. If this right is granted, it could be implemented in around 5 years' time.
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Finally, I have arranged a meeting with the Chairperson of the Federal Commission for Science, Education and Culture (national parliament), to put forward our views on the development of the Swiss Maturité, and more broadly on issues relating to education, young people's mental health, social networks, and so on.
I will keep you informed of any developments.
