Changes and challenges in Czech education
The Education Act passed in 2004 calls for the standardization of the matriculation examination (ME). After finishing compulsory education, Czech students choose one track from either academic (gymnasia), secondary technical or vocational. Students from academic and secondary technical tracks finish their studies with a ME that allows them to apply to universities. Traditionally, the ME has consisted of a written and oral examination on Czech and one foreign language, and an oral examination on two eligible subjects. In accordance with the act, beginning in the 2007 academic year, all students must sit for a standardized test in Czech and foreign languages, and a third subject chosen from science, information technology, mathematics or civics.

A nice little overview of what the Czech educational system looks like amidst all the 'bellyaching' about how we should listen to education experts (by an education expert - hint, I am also an education expert and I wouldn't listen to me). The problem is where the Czech politicians looked around for inspiration, which unfortunately was the standardized testing approach of the US (based on the assumption of education being an economy) which doesn't go nicely with the old British system of decentralized, teacher-led curriculum and the old Austro-Hungarian system of centralized bureaucratic state-run exams.