Definition of the target groups

According to a report from the Institute of Education Policy in the Field of Early Childhood Education and Care (Inštitútu vzdelávacej politiky v oblasti ranej starostlivosti a vzdelávania), the groups most at risk of early school leaving were identified as children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and children with health disadvantages. Children with disadvantages tend to have lower attendance rates in preschools, poorer results in international and national testing, higher rates of grade repetition, and a greater likelihood of early school dropout.

Compared to the EU average, there is a low rate of children's attendance in early childhood education in Slovakia. This rate is even lower among vulnerable groups of children who benefit the most from quality early childhood education. One of the reasons for this situation is inadequate capacity in kindergartens. Several municipalities with marginalized Roma communities face particularly severe capacity constraints.

In recent years, several measures have been implemented to support increased children's attendance in early childhood education. Since 2021, an amendment to the Education Act has introduced compulsory pre-primary education for children at the age of 5, as well as a legal entitlement for children to be admitted to pre-primary education. The implementation of this reform is gradual. Starting from the school year 2024/2025, there will be a legal entitlement to admission to kindergarten for children aged 4, and from the school year 2025/2026, for children aged 3.

The expansion of kindergarten capacities is also supported under Slovakia's Recovery and Resilience Plan through calls to increase kindergarten capacities (výzvy na zvýšenie kapacít materských škôl).

To identify students at risk of early school leaving, the Ministry of Education issued an application tool called 'How to Be Successful in School' (Ako byť v škole úspešnejší). This methodological resource includes specific steps to help identify students at risk of early school dropout and to establish collaboration with counselling centres, school heads, teachers, parents, and the students themselves. The manual is part of a strategy aimed at minimizing grade repetition. As part of efforts to increase inclusiveness in the education system, there is a focus on training pedagogical and professional staff in schools to work effectively with children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and those with disabilities.

Under Slovakia's Recovery Plan, the Ministry of Education announces calls for the allocation of financial resources aimed at building inclusive education and supporting groups of students at risk of early school leaving. 

The Catalogue of Support Measures is a detailed set of measures that schools, either independently or in collaboration with counselling centres, provide to support children at any risk, including the risk of early school leaving. This catalogue specifies supportive measures in education offered by schools or educational facilities, which are necessary to enable children or pupils to fully engage in education and development of their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Some supportive measures include activities aimed at preventing early school dropout before the final year of primary or secondary school.

Any child can receive speech therapy, if required due to their health disadvantage – provided by a school speech therapist either directly in school or in a counselling and prevention centre or special counselling and prevention centre.

A school speech therapist performs diagnostic, therapeutic, prevention and counselling activities focusing on impaired communication abilities. They keep records of their professional activities, which are a part of centres’ documentation. They create:

• report on speech therapy diagnostic for the children's education needs,
• documents supporting the proposals for the form of children's education,
• documents promoting the provision of optimum conditions for children's education,
• reports on the course of the therapy for the purpose of education or other purpose in the children's interest, if necessary.

A school speech therapist who is an employee of a centre specialising in counselling for children with impaired communication ability also provides professional-methodological help to

• professional employees from other special pedagogical counselling centres,
• school special pedagogues,
• other professional employees of schools and school facilities including pedagogical staff in schools,
• general practitioners for children and youth,   
• specialist doctor,
• clinical speech therapists and
• professional employees of facilities providing social care to children.

Language course - support measure

Language support should ensure that children/pupils learn the school’s language of instruction faster and complete the educational process more successfully.   The support measure focuses on mastering the school’s language of instruction 

• By children/pupils whose mother tongue is different from the language of instruction  of the school they attend and 

• By children/pupils, whose knowledge of the school’s language of instruction is not appropriate for their age. 

As part of the negotiation process and upon the founder’s request, the Ministry may adjust the amount of allocated normative financial resources for the provision of the school's instruction language courses or other support for acquiring proficiency in the school's instruction language.