Integrated primary and lower secondary education takes place in basic schools where pupils complete the first nine years of 10-year compulsory school attendance. Details of compulsory school attendance are defined in Act no. 245/2008 Coll. on education and training (Zákon č. 245/2008 Z. z. o výchove a vzdelávaní). Tasks of state administration bodies and their sphere of authority concerning compulsory school attendance are defined by Act no. 321/2025 Coll. on school administration (Zákon č. 321/2025 Z. z. o školskej správe). Details on the basic school organization, compulsory school attendance, provision of education, and others are defined in the Decree of the Ministry of Education no 223/2022 Coll. on basic school (Vyhláška MŠVVaŠ SR č. 223/2022 Z. z. o základnej škole).

Basic schools provide primary and lower secondary education to children from the age of 6 years through educational programmes, ensuring their preparation for further education and practice.  According to the Education Act, education provided in basic school is considered to be continuous vocational training.

The basic school usually consists of nine grades organised into two stages, in which the education is provided through separate mutually interlinked educational programmes: 

Basic schools are divided into the following types:

• basic school with all grades (hereinafter referred to as 'fully organised basic school'),
• basic school that does not have all grades (hereinafter referred to as 'not fully organised basic school').

Upon the successful completion of the respective educational programme the pupil may achieve: 

1. primary education (ISCED 1),
2. lower secondary education (ISCED 2).

Primary education is obtained by the pupil’s successful completion of the last grade of the educational programme for the first stage of primary school; the school certificate serves as proof of the achieved level of education and qualification.

Lower secondary education is obtained by the pupil’s successful completion of the final year of the educational programme for the second stage of basic school. The certificate with a clause is the proof of the level of education attained. Pupils may also complete lower secondary education in an eight-year programme at a gymnasium or a dance conservatory, provided they meet the admission requirements. The transition to these programs is described in the section Organisational Variations. 

In the 2026–2027 school year, two state educational programmes will be used concurrently. The 2015 State Educational Programme for Primary and Lower Secondary Education remains in effect in classes that have not yet transitioned to the new programme. The 2023 State Educational Programme for Basic Education is gradually being implemented starting with first grade. Starting September 1, 2026, every basic school must use it in the first grade; schools that began earlier will also use it to educate pupils advancing to higher grades.

The older programme divides basic education into a first stage (grades 1–4) and a second stage (grades 5–9). The new programme divides education into three cycles: Cycle 1 comprised of grades 1–3, Cycle 2 comprised of grades 4–5, and Cycle 3 compriseod grades 6–9. The first two cycles form the first stage, and the third cycle forms the second stage. During the transition period, therefore, students following the older programme complete their primary education after the 4th grade, while those following the new programme do so after the 5th grade. Lower secondary education in basic school is attained by successfully completing the final grade of the second stage.

The 2023 State Educational Programme shifts the focus from memorizing isolated facts to understanding, connecting, and applying knowledge. It develops domain-specific literacies in educational areas as well as cross-curricular literacies, such as reading and visual literacy, civic, digital, and AI literacy, financial literacy, environmental literacy, and social and emotional literacy. Cross-curricular concepts include metacognition and character.