The situation in family education in Czech Republic is still affected by the lifestyle from the previous regime and stressed by different phenomena of market economy like loss of positive values, sexismus and pornography.

Czech Republic is one of the countries with the highest rate of abortions. At the age of 15, 16% of boys and 12% of girls have experienced genital intercourse. The average age of brides is 21 and many of them get married because of pregnancy. About 90% of first-born children come to the world during the first three years of marriage. There is a high rate of divorces and incomplete families. On the other hand, the incidence of HIV/AIDS is low (cumulative data: 178 cases per 10 million inhabitants).

Among the most important goals of family education is to integrate it within education on the development of personal values and skills, to postpone the beginning of sexual life for individuals and to understand sexual life as a matter of individual decision, and to help understand the significance of family in the formation of values, standards and attitudes.

Because of the failing educative function of families, family education in schools seems to be necessary. If planned and organized sensitively it might have positive impact on the social health quality.

M. Cernà, J. Hamanovà: "Family Education in Czech Schools". Paper presented at the First International Congress of Adolescentology, Assisi, Italy, October 22-24, 1993.

Key Words: Adolescence, Family Education, Life, Values, Health

M. Cernà: Ministry of Education in Czech Republic.
H. Hamanovà: Chief of Department of Adolescentology, Institute for Postgraduate Medical Studies, Prague.