The Swiss system seems, on the face of it, to be based on Piaget's
findings.
Children here stay at home until they are seven years old. This is know as
Protected Childhood. Only after that age do they start school. Form there
the development is similar to any western education system. Except when they
get to the age of fourteen they are declared adults and from then on they
can do things other fourteen year olds could only dream of. I'm not sure this
is what Piaget had in mind and it can have significant consequences.
For example they can enter into rental contracts for Handi's (Mobile Phones) and incur bills of up to SFr1500 per month. I'm told by Swiss friends this can result in a surprise bill for the family. With the usual fall out. Another thing is that parents have to have Written permission to approach the school about the young persons education. They can drive Velos (low power Mopeds) as a result you can often see Fourteen year olds riding down the street with no helmet, helmet on the handle bars, helmet only half on and on one occasion taking the helmet of while riding. You see them Towing friends on push bikes along the road or this time of year (November) driving without lights in dark streets to save on the battery.
Needless to say there is a high rate of mortality amongst this group of young people.
