Meride
Encyclopedia
Meride is a municipality
in the district of Mendrisio
in the canton
of Ticino
in Switzerland
.
The area around Meride is of great interest to geologist
s and paleontologists, due to a Triassic
chalk
formation, the so-called Meridekalk. Excavation projects at the Monte San Giorgio in the chalk have discovered several new fossils.
In 963, the Benedictine
abbey of S. Ambrogio
in Milan
gave their property and farms in Meride to the monastery of San Pietro in Lodi. During the Middle Ages
it was part of the Pieve
of Riva San Vitale
. It formed, along with Besazio
and Tremona
, a Terzi (third) of the Pieve. The Terzi shared the grazing and timber rights to the surrounding fields and forests.
In 1483, Meride separated from the mother church
at Riva San Vitale, and became an independent parish. In the same year, the former parish church
of San Silvestro, was built on a hill above the village. San Silvestro stands on the remains of what was probably a castle, and the remains of which were integrated into the church. The current parish church of San Rocco, was built in 1578, expanded in 1770-72 and restored in 1969-70. On a hill near the village, a hermitage
was built by the blessed
Manfredo Settala (12th Century-1217). Next to the hermitage, the 13th Century chapel of Saint George was built.
In the past farming and grazing was the main occupation. In the 20th Century the continual population decline continued, until the 1990s when new living spaces allowed the population to stabilize. In 2000 two-thirds of the working population commuted to other municipalities for work. In 1973 a fossil museum opened in Meride. More recently, the summer tourism industry has gained a foothold in the village.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.8% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.8%. Out of the forested land, 86.3% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.9% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 7.6% is used for growing crops, while 1.5% is used for orchards or vine crops.
The municipality is located in the Mendrisio district. It stretches from the peak of San Giorgio mountain down to the lower slope of the mountain, where the village center lies.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Quartered gules and argent in each chief quarters a mullet of eight counterchanged and overall on a fess or a gates with two towers azure.
Most of the population speaks Italian
(84.6%), with German
being second most common (11.6%) and French
being third (1.4%). Of the Swiss national languages , 34 speak German, 4 people speak French, 248 people speak Italian, and 2 people speak Romansh. The remainder (5 people) speak another language.
, the gender distribution of the population was 47.4% male and 52.6% female. The population was made up of 143 Swiss men (43.2% of the population), and 14 (4.2%) non-Swiss men. There were 167 Swiss women (50.5%), and 7 (2.1%) non-Swiss women.
In there was 1 live birth to Swiss citizens and were 3 deaths of Swiss citizens. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 2 while the foreign population remained the same. There was 1 Swiss man and 1 Swiss woman who immigrated back to Switzerland. At the same time, there was 1 non-Swiss woman who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 6 and the non-Swiss population change was a decrease of 1 people. This represents a population growth rate of 1.5%.
The age distribution, , in Meride is; 20 children or 6.0% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 31 teenagers or 9.4% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 37 people or 11.2% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 37 people or 11.2% are between 30 and 39, 48 people or 14.5% are between 40 and 49, and 47 people or 14.2% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 54 people or 16.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 26 people or 7.9% are between 70 and 79, there are 31 people or 9.4% who are over 80.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.51 which is less people per room than the cantonal average of 0.6 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 65% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 137 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.1 persons per household. there were 105 single family homes (or 70.5% of the total) out of a total of 149 inhabited buildings. There were 35 multi-family buildings (23.5%), along with 4 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (2.7%) and 5 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (3.4%). Of the single family homes 24 were built before 1919, while 12 were built between 1990 and 2000. The greatest number of single family homes (41) were built between 1919 and 1945.
there were 206 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was 4 rooms of which there were 52. There were 6 single room apartments and 64 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 137 apartments (66.5% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 66 apartments (32.0%) were seasonally occupied and 3 apartments (1.5%) were empty. The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 0%. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0 new units per 1000 residents.
The historical population is given in the following chart:
. The entire village of Meride is listed as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
.
the most popular party was the SP
which received 39.08% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
(36.42%), the FDP
(7.82%) and the Green Party
(7.17%). In the federal election, a total of 160 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
was 46.1%.
In the Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 254 registered voters in Meride, of which 201 or 79.1% voted. 3 blank ballots were cast, leaving 198 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PPD
+GenGiova which received 66 or 33.3% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PS
(with 62 or 31.3%), the SSI (with 30 or 15.2%) and the PLRT
(with 15 or 7.6%).
In the Consiglio di Stato election, 2 blank ballots and 1 null ballot were cast, leaving 198 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PS which received 71 or 35.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PPD (with 70 or 35.4%), the SSI (with 27 or 13.6%) and the PLRT (with 14 or 7.1%).
There were 133 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 45.9% of the workforce. the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 39. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 9, all of which were in agriculture. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 2, all of which were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 28. In the tertiary sector; 2 or 7.1% were in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 1 or 3.6% were in the movement and storage of goods, 10 or 35.7% were in a hotel or restaurant, 5 or 17.9% were in the information industry and 2 or 7.1% were in education.
, there were 26 workers who commuted into the municipality and 95 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net exporter of workers, with about 3.7 workers leaving the municipality for every one entering. About 34.6% of the workforce coming into Meride are coming from outside Switzerland. Of the working population, 5.3% used public transportation to get to work, and 64.7% used a private car.
, there was one hotel in Meride.
. There are 49 individuals (or about 16.72% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), and 4 individuals (or about 1.37% of the population) did not answer the question.
).
In Meride there were a total of 51 students . The Ticino education system
provides up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten
and in Meride there were 6 children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both a standard school and a special school. In the municipality, 11 students attended the standard primary schools and 2 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two year middle school followed by a two year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four year program to prepare for higher education. There were 15 students in the two year middle school, while 9 students were in the four year advanced program.
The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as a full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student). There were 4 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 3 who attend part-time.
The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There was 1 student in the professional program.
, there were 43 students from Meride who attended schools outside the municipality.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of Mendrisio
Mendrisio (district)
The district of Mendrisio is the southernmost district of canton of Ticino and of Switzerland. To its north lies the district of Lugano. It is surrounded on the other three sides by Italy: to the east and south by the province of Como, and to the west by the province of Varese...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
History
Meride is first mentioned in 852 as Melede. In 1430 it was mentioned as Merede.The area around Meride is of great interest to geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
s and paleontologists, due to a Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
chalk
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
formation, the so-called Meridekalk. Excavation projects at the Monte San Giorgio in the chalk have discovered several new fossils.
In 963, the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey of S. Ambrogio
Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio
The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio is a church in Milan, northern Italy.-History:One of the most ancient churches in Milan, it was built by St. Ambrose in 379-386, in an area where numerous martyrs of the Roman persecutions had been buried. The first name of the church was in fact Basilica...
in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
gave their property and farms in Meride to the monastery of San Pietro in Lodi. During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
it was part of the Pieve
Pieve
In the Middle Ages, a pieve was a rural church with a baptistery, upon which other churches without baptisteries depended.The Italian word pieve is descended from Latin plebs which, after the expansion of Christianity in Italy, was applied to the community of baptized people...
of Riva San Vitale
Riva San Vitale
Riva San Vitale is a municipality in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland, located in the district of Mendrisio.Riva San Vitale is also the home of the Virginia Tech Center for European Studies and Architecture , the European campus center and base of operations for the regional activities of...
. It formed, along with Besazio
Besazio
Besazio is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Besazio is first mentioned in 1335 as Besatio. In 15th to 18th Centuries it was called Besaccio. A settlement in this area was first mentioned in 1254, but the area has been settled since...
and Tremona
Tremona
Tremona was a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.On 5 April 2009 the municipalities of Arzo, Capolago, Genestrerio, Mendrisio, Rancate and Tremona merged into the municipality of Mendrisio....
, a Terzi (third) of the Pieve. The Terzi shared the grazing and timber rights to the surrounding fields and forests.
In 1483, Meride separated from the mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
at Riva San Vitale, and became an independent parish. In the same year, the former parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of San Silvestro, was built on a hill above the village. San Silvestro stands on the remains of what was probably a castle, and the remains of which were integrated into the church. The current parish church of San Rocco, was built in 1578, expanded in 1770-72 and restored in 1969-70. On a hill near the village, a hermitage
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
was built by the blessed
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Manfredo Settala (12th Century-1217). Next to the hermitage, the 13th Century chapel of Saint George was built.
In the past farming and grazing was the main occupation. In the 20th Century the continual population decline continued, until the 1990s when new living spaces allowed the population to stabilize. In 2000 two-thirds of the working population commuted to other municipalities for work. In 1973 a fossil museum opened in Meride. More recently, the summer tourism industry has gained a foothold in the village.
Geography
Meride has an area, , of 7.46 square kilometres (2.9 sq mi). Of this area, 0.74 km² (0.285715597358476 sq mi) or 9.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 6.61 km² (2.6 sq mi) or 88.6% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.13 km² (32.1 acre) or 1.7% is settled (buildings or roads) and 0.05 km² (12.4 acre) or 0.7% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.8% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.8%. Out of the forested land, 86.3% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.9% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 7.6% is used for growing crops, while 1.5% is used for orchards or vine crops.
The municipality is located in the Mendrisio district. It stretches from the peak of San Giorgio mountain down to the lower slope of the mountain, where the village center lies.
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is Quartered gules and argent in each chief quarters a mullet of eight counterchanged and overall on a fess or a gates with two towers azure.
Demographics
Meride has a population of . , 5.7% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 1.9%.Most of the population speaks Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
(84.6%), with German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
being second most common (11.6%) and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
being third (1.4%). Of the Swiss national languages , 34 speak German, 4 people speak French, 248 people speak Italian, and 2 people speak Romansh. The remainder (5 people) speak another language.
, the gender distribution of the population was 47.4% male and 52.6% female. The population was made up of 143 Swiss men (43.2% of the population), and 14 (4.2%) non-Swiss men. There were 167 Swiss women (50.5%), and 7 (2.1%) non-Swiss women.
In there was 1 live birth to Swiss citizens and were 3 deaths of Swiss citizens. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 2 while the foreign population remained the same. There was 1 Swiss man and 1 Swiss woman who immigrated back to Switzerland. At the same time, there was 1 non-Swiss woman who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 6 and the non-Swiss population change was a decrease of 1 people. This represents a population growth rate of 1.5%.
The age distribution, , in Meride is; 20 children or 6.0% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 31 teenagers or 9.4% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 37 people or 11.2% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 37 people or 11.2% are between 30 and 39, 48 people or 14.5% are between 40 and 49, and 47 people or 14.2% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 54 people or 16.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 26 people or 7.9% are between 70 and 79, there are 31 people or 9.4% who are over 80.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.51 which is less people per room than the cantonal average of 0.6 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 65% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 137 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.1 persons per household. there were 105 single family homes (or 70.5% of the total) out of a total of 149 inhabited buildings. There were 35 multi-family buildings (23.5%), along with 4 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (2.7%) and 5 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (3.4%). Of the single family homes 24 were built before 1919, while 12 were built between 1990 and 2000. The greatest number of single family homes (41) were built between 1919 and 1945.
there were 206 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was 4 rooms of which there were 52. There were 6 single room apartments and 64 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 137 apartments (66.5% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 66 apartments (32.0%) were seasonally occupied and 3 apartments (1.5%) were empty. The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 0%. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0 new units per 1000 residents.
The historical population is given in the following chart:
Heritage sites of national significance
The Church of S. Silvestro is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significanceSwiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
. The entire village of Meride is listed as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage.-Sites of national importance:-Types:...
.
Politics
In the 2007 federal electionSwiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
which received 39.08% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(36.42%), the FDP
FDP.The Liberals
FDP.The Liberals is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States....
(7.82%) and the Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
(7.17%). In the federal election, a total of 160 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 46.1%.
In the Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 254 registered voters in Meride, of which 201 or 79.1% voted. 3 blank ballots were cast, leaving 198 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PPD
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
+GenGiova which received 66 or 33.3% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(with 62 or 31.3%), the SSI (with 30 or 15.2%) and the PLRT
FDP.The Liberals
FDP.The Liberals is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States....
(with 15 or 7.6%).
In the Consiglio di Stato election, 2 blank ballots and 1 null ballot were cast, leaving 198 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PS which received 71 or 35.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PPD (with 70 or 35.4%), the SSI (with 27 or 13.6%) and the PLRT (with 14 or 7.1%).
Economy
, Meride had an unemployment rate of 2.86%. , there were 17 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 6 businesses involved in this sector. 2 people were employed in the secondary sector and there was 1 business in this sector. 33 people were employed in the tertiary sector, with 13 businesses in this sector.There were 133 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 45.9% of the workforce. the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 39. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 9, all of which were in agriculture. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 2, all of which were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 28. In the tertiary sector; 2 or 7.1% were in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 1 or 3.6% were in the movement and storage of goods, 10 or 35.7% were in a hotel or restaurant, 5 or 17.9% were in the information industry and 2 or 7.1% were in education.
, there were 26 workers who commuted into the municipality and 95 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net exporter of workers, with about 3.7 workers leaving the municipality for every one entering. About 34.6% of the workforce coming into Meride are coming from outside Switzerland. Of the working population, 5.3% used public transportation to get to work, and 64.7% used a private car.
, there was one hotel in Meride.
Religion
From the , 219 or 74.7% were Roman Catholic, while 21 or 7.2% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
. There are 49 individuals (or about 16.72% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), and 4 individuals (or about 1.37% of the population) did not answer the question.
Education
In Meride about 79.9% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a FachhochschuleFachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
).
In Meride there were a total of 51 students . The Ticino education system
Education in Switzerland
The education system in Switzerland is very diverse, because the constitution of Switzerland delegates the authority for the school system mainly to the cantons...
provides up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
and in Meride there were 6 children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both a standard school and a special school. In the municipality, 11 students attended the standard primary schools and 2 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two year middle school followed by a two year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four year program to prepare for higher education. There were 15 students in the two year middle school, while 9 students were in the four year advanced program.
The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as a full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student). There were 4 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 3 who attend part-time.
The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There was 1 student in the professional program.
, there were 43 students from Meride who attended schools outside the municipality.