Three challenges for higher education teacher training after 1989

The study deals with the developments in the faculties of education and other faculties preparing teachers after 1989. Using a variety of data (Combined information of student registers, Ministry of Education), it analyses the quantitative and structural development of their graduates in the context of three main challenges they faced. The first chapter examines the phenomenon of regionalisation of higher education, which has led to the weakening of the position of regional faculties of education in the form of the spin-off of entire departments and the outflow of quality professionals, students, graduates and associated resources. The second chapter maps the impact of the transition to structured studies according to the Bologna Declaration, which took place at the same time as the massification of Czech higher education was reaching its peak. This massification resulted in a significant increase in the number of graduates in education fields, which, however, was relatively milder in the case of teacher training graduates, and thus there was only a small increase in the number of newly qualified teachers. The structuring of studies has led to the emergence of a group of graduates who aspired to become teachers through their bachelor’s studies but did not complete the necessary follow-up master’s studies. The significant decline in the population in recent years has then led to a significant decline in the number of people gaining teaching qualifications, not only through graduation from the higher education institution but also through the completion of the DPS. The third chapter focuses on the 2004 amendment to the Act on Pedagogical Staff, which required unqualified teachers to at least begin teacher training studies within ten years. Consequently, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of other forms of study in education fields.