E.—l2

SWITZERLAND.

General Principles. There is no law in Switzerland fixing any time-limit (luring which a child may attend school. The practice (although by no means universal) is— («) To send children at about the age of six to an ordinary primary school, cither direct from home, or from an infant school; and (b) For them to remain there not longer than the compulsory age-limit, or until they pass the examination which relieves them from further attendance; and (c) Then to go into a secondary school, or into practical life and attend a supplementary school.' Pupils generally leave .secondary schools about the age of fifteen." (2.) The cantons must act in educational matters, and the Confederation will take tlie ' steps necessary against those that do not perform their duties. 8 (3.) The Federal State is entitled to establish a university, and other high institutions, i and to support such institutions, 4 besides the Polytechnic School: although to the cantons] the right is reserved to make the practice of any scientific profession (such as that of ai barrister, physician, professor, or teacher) depend on proof of capability for such; buttcstimonials obtained in one canton maintain their value throughout the whole Confcdera-1 tion. (4.) The Federal State is entitled to establish decrees concerning the engagement of i children in industrial establishments ■:' and it is enacted— («) That children under fourteen years of age are not allowed to work in industrial i establishments; ' (li) Children who have begun their fifteenth and have not finished their sixteenth year, must not work in school and in the industrial establishments for more, altogether, than eleven hours per day •/' (c) The instruction in school and in religion must not be intruded upon by the work in the industrial establishments ; 7 (fl) Young people under eighteen arc not allowed to work on Sundays, or at night in industrial establishments; (c) The Confederation is entitled to point out those branches of industry for which children are not allowed to work at all; (/) A proprietor of an industrial establishment is not allowed to excuse himself with having ignored the age or the duty of a boy to go to school if he be under age ; s and (y) Punishments are provided for those who break these laws. 8 (5.) It is the duty of the cantons to see that— («) The male youth from the tenth year, until the period of leaving the primary < school, arc prepared for military service by an apt instructor in gymnastics, 0' and the teacher who gives the instruction must have acquired the qualification to do so in a normal school, and in the School of Military Recruits ; and (/>) Gymnastic instruction, preparatory for the military service, must be given to all youths (who have left the school) till the twentieth year of their age. 10 The Confederation, moreover, has issued decrees concerning—■ (a) The introduction of gymnastic exercises for male children from ten to fifteen years of age; (6) The preparing of teachers for giving gymnastic instruction; and (c) The cases of dispensation from gymnastic exercises. The foregoing statements include the most important of the constitutional laws, as representing the national principles upon which education has to be conducted by the cantons.

school age.

Cantons must

Confederation foun^'wijer* educational Bu ' t cantons regulate practices of professions. Confederation regulates industrial employment o£ dliklren'

Cantons have °^stics

1 See also Mr. M. Arnold's evidence before E.E.C., 5184 ; and for effect of this, COBO. 1 See Stat., p. 1, Art. 27. '■> See Stat., p. 1. 4 See Stat., p. 1, Art. 33. s Art. 34.

6 See (a) Stat., pp. 5 ancl 6, Art. 16, and (6) 8.C., vol. 1, p. 20. 7 See Stat., pp. 5 and 0. 8 See last ref., and for factory scheme relating to employment of children, B.L. rep., p. 292. ■' See Stat., pp. i and 5. 10 See Stat. Art. 81, and for Berne, see B. rep.

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