Abstract: A valve-actuating mechanism for a plurality of identical valves of a cylinder of an internal-combustion engine has first rocker arms 5 which each actuate a valve and which are actuated by a cam for a lower speed range, and second rocker arms 7 which are arranged between adjacent first rocker arms 5 and which are actuated by specific identical cams for the upper speed range. The first and the second rocker arms 5, 7 can be coupled to one another in the upper speed range by means of a rotatable switching shaft 11 which extends through all the rocker arms and which can be actuated by an outer electromagnet 21, so that the valves are then actuated according to the contour of the cams acting on the second rocker arms 7.