It is all to do with "competence-oriented" learning

The 21 German-speaking and multi-lingual cantons are to implement major reforms to primary school education over the next few years in order to comply with Article 62 of the Swiss Constitution. For some time now teams of experts from various educational fields have been examining closely what needs to be done to ensure schools concentrate on "competence-oriented" learning. Not unsurprisingly, the reforms have been widely criticised, not least for being far too comprehensive. As a result the new curriculum has been reduced by some 20% to just 470 pages and the areas of competence to 363.
 
In an interview with a journalist of the Neue Zuger Zeitung, Stephan Schleiss, the cantonal director of education, spoke about how Zug would be implementing the reforms.
 
The director explained, following the abridgement of this new curriculum, that it was now up to the individual cantons to implement what they felt was right. "Here in Zug we already teach very closely to what is laid out in the new curriculum," he said.
 
When he was asked if this meant that the canton had not actually done anything to begin implementing the new curriculum, Schleiss said that they were waiting for the complete abridged version, which was not actually being published until spring of next year. "We are considering staggering any changes. The new curriculum is in effect a continuation of the current ones and these are already formulated with regard to being "competence-oriented". Of course I am talking now about subjects such as Mathematics, German and modern foreign languages. We have to wait to see what is exactly required with regard to nature studies and man and society. It needs to be emphasised we are not under any time pressure and we do not want to exert any undue pressure on schools, either."
 
When asked about how teachers had reacted to this new curriculum, Schleiss said that the basic reaction by the Swiss Association of Teachers had been positive, as had that of the Zug Teachers' Association, but further amendments might be needed upon implementation. He added that he had met with head teachers in the canton over the past few days and discussed matters with them. He was also able to assure that no additional costs would be incurred by the introduction of the new curriculum. No additional courses for teachers would be necessary as they were already teaching in a "competence-oriented" way.
 
When the journalist reminded the direction of education that there had been much adverse criticism of the new curriculum, Schleiss said that those responsible for drafting it may have underestimated the necessity of informing the public about it on a more regular basis. He said this criticism had been taken into account in the re-drafting of it.
 
When tackled about what the journalist described as the "magic term" of "competence-oriented learning", Schleiss replied that the phrase was not new and often used in vocational training in particular. "The companies  who take on these apprentices expect youngsters to have competence in a wide variety of areas, for example in personal and social skills as well as multi-faceted professional and learning skills. Indeed the term is used widely in current curricula. It may be that it its real meaning has been misused in the much public debate about it."
 
"And is not the term "competence-oriented" being used too often at the expense of "knowledge"?
 
"Oh no. Knowledge is an indispensible constituent of competence. This is why in subjects such as nature studies and man and society, where a certain arbitrariness could be evident, that feedback from critics of the new curriculum has been especially taken into account."