Purpose

1. The concordat cantons form an inter-cantonal public law institution for the promotion of the education system and the harmonization of the corresponding cantonal law.

1. The concordat cantons commit to aligning their school legislation in the following points

a) The school entry age is set at the completed 6th year of age. The cut-off date is June 30. Deviations in cantonal law of up to 4 months before and after this date are permissible;

b) compulsory schooling for boys and girls lasts at least 9 years, with a minimum of 38 school weeks;

c) the regular training period from the entry into compulsory schooling until the matriculation examination lasts a minimum of 12 years and a maximum of 13 years;

d) the school year begins between mid-August and mid-October.

1. The Concordat Cantons develop recommendations for all cantons, particularly concerning the following areas

a) Framework curricula;

b) Joint teaching materials;

c) Ensuring free transfer between equivalent schools;

d) Transition to the differentiated upper levels;

e) Recognition of examination qualifications and diplomas obtained in equivalent educational programs;

f) Uniform designation of the same school levels and the same types of schools;

g) Equivalent teacher training.

1. The Concordat Cantons cooperate among themselves and with the federal government in the fields of educational planning and research, as well as school statistics.

For this purpose

a) institutions necessary for this cooperation are promoted and supported;

b) guidelines for annual or periodic Swiss school statistics are prepared.

1. The concordat cantons delegate the implementation of the tasks specified in Art. 2 to Art. 4 to the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Education.

2. Competences and working methods are laid down in a set of regulations.

3. The costs of the concordat activities are determined based on the population of the cantons.

4. Non-concordat cantons have an advisory vote in concordat matters.

1. For the facilitation and promotion of collaboration, the cantons unite into four regional conferences (Western Switzerland and Ticino, Northwestern Switzerland, Central Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland). Each canton independently decides on joining a regional conference.

2. The regional conferences prepare the matters for the plenary conference.

1. In disputes arising from the concordat between cantons, the Federal Court shall decide upon a complaint.

1. The Harmonization of School Legislation pursuant to Art. 2 of this Concordat shall be implemented in stages.

2. The Concordat cantons commit to

a) establishing the school entry age according to Art. 2(a) within a period of 6 years;

b) extending compulsory education to 9 years within a reasonable timeframe. Cantons with only 7 years of compulsory education may accomplish this in two stages.

3. The determination of the start of the school year pursuant to Art. 2(d) shall, in principle, take place at the beginning of the 1973/74 school year.

1. Accession to the Concordat shall be declared to the Board of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Directors of Education, which shall notify the Federal Council.

1. The withdrawal from the concordat must be declared to the board of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Directors of Education. It takes effect at the end of the third calendar year following the declaration of withdrawal.

1. This Concordat shall enter into force when it has been accepted by ten cantons and approved by the Swiss Federal Council.