View source for What is the level of autonomy granted to schools/ What is the role of local ministries of education?

School autonomy has come to be a widespread policy in Europe. Initially pursued as a basic principle �
namely that institutions should be autonomous in order to guarantee teaching freedom, to strengthen local
school democracy and to complete the process of decentralisation � school autonomy has today become, in
most countries, an instrument to achieve primarily educational goals: in other words, more freedom is given
to schools and teachers in order to improve the quality of education (Eurydice, 2007b, 2008). Although all
countries now view the purpose of school autonomy largely in educational terms, there remain marked
differences across Europe in the implementation of the school autonomy process as well as in the extent and
nature of autonomy. Differences in the implementation of school autonomy policies also exist with regard to
the body or individuals to whom powers are devolved.
In most European countries, a large degree of autonomy is granted to schools for the use of public funds
for operating expenses and the management of teaching staff. <br>

Concerning the recruitment of teachers, schools and local level authorities in many countries have full
autonomy and are often the authority that has responsibility for their employment.?
Although teachers have relatively little say in determining the content of the compulsory curriculum, they
have much freedom in daily education activities, such as choice of teaching methods and textbooks,
grouping of pupils for learning activities and internal assessment. (Key Data on Education in Europe 2009, Eurostat)