Education, particularly religious education, has been inspired in part by John Calvin, who settled in Switzerland in 1536. The theories of Johann Pestalozzi, the 18th-century educational reformer who advocated that children should learn from their own experiences, have contributed to the development of education throughout the world. In recent times, the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget became widely recognized for his insights into the learning abilities and habits of children. The Swiss constitution of 1848 provided for free and compulsory education. These schools are taught in the local official language, but students may also study the other national languages as well.
Illiteracy is negligible.