Organisational aspects

Teachers in pre-primary, primary, lower secondary and higher secondary education are entitled to protection from social-pathological behaviour of management pedagogical employees, pupils‘ legal representatives, pupils and other natural and legal persons.

According to the Act on pedagogical and professional employees (SK), teachers have a protected person status.

Teachers have a right to choose and use teaching methods, strategies, and teaching aids in education and training of pupils.

The act on pedagogical and professional employees also defines the obligation to maintain and develop one‘s professional competences.

According to this act, teachers are entitled to 5 paid working days per calendar year for personal development.

Professional development takes place through education, creative activity, self-education and professional placement.

Professional development takes place according to the approved 4-year professional development plan issued by the headteacher and approved by the pedagogical board. This plan is created for each calendar year. The annual education plan can be supplemented and amended during its term in compliance with the school’s current possibilities and needs.

Education of pedagogical and professional employees is organised as qualification, functional, specialisation, adaptation, pre-attestation, innovation, and actualisation education

By completing the appropriate education the teaching and professional employees fulfil requirements for being ranked at the appropriate career level or career position, or innovate their professional competences through innovation education. 

The provider of the education may be: a  school or school facility (mandatory actualisation education), a higher education institution, organizations established by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the SR for provision and fulfilment of tasks in the field of continuing education (National Institute for Education in SR, The Methodology and Pedagogy Centre, State Vocational Education Institute (SK)), an educational organisation of other central body of the State administration according to a special regulation, church or  religious society, or a legal entity with education as a subject of activity. 

The organisation, content, extent, and form of continuing education of pedagogical employees are governed by the Act on pedagogical and professional employees.

Actualisation education is organised and provided by each school to its pedagogical and professional employees according to its needs. The programme is approved by the headteacher; the professional guarantor will be a teacher with the second attestation. Teachers who completed actualisation education will receive a certificate on actualisation education issued by the headteacher. Programmes of qualification, specialisation, functional and pre-attestation education are approved by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic and are valid for 5 years. The Ministry of Education grants and withdraws authorisation to provide innovation education. The issued authorisation is valid for 5 years.

Functional education is designed for management employees (headteachers and school representatives) and it is mandatory in the extent and time schedule defined by the law. 

Evaluation of employees is performed by their direct superior once a year. The evaluation concerns the results, difficulty, and quality of work performance, acquiring and using professional competences.

The evaluation serves as a basis for the professional development plan and remuneration. 
 

Incentives, supporting measures and funding for participation in continuing professional development (CPD) activities

Teachers and professional employees cover the costs related to 

• qualification education,
• completion of the basic module of functional education, if not taken in line with the professional development plan, 
• pre-attestation education.  

They also pay for adaptation education if it is not provided by their school but an organisation founded by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the SR (e.g. The Methodology and Pedagogy Centre). The school founder covers employees’ extension training, if scheduled in the professional development plan.

Other forms of education scheduled in the professional development plan as defined by law are covered by the education participant’s employer.

Professional development is supported through financial benefits for completed education. Teachers will be awarded a bonus in the amount of 12% for extension training, 12% for taking state language examination, 3% for specialised education and 3% for innovation education. 

The bonus for professional development is for 7 years and in the maximum amount of 12%,  out of which the maximum for innovation education is 9%.
 

Legislative references

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2019. Act No. 138/2019 on pedagogical employees and professional employees and on the change and supplement to some acts (Zákon č. 138/2019 Z.z. o pedagogických zamestnancoch a odborných zamestnancoch a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov) (last accessed 29/12/2022).