Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

Since 2007, a two-level education model has been implemented in the Slovak Republic, which consists of the state and the school level.

State educational programme (SEP): SEP represents a hierarchically highest state document on education; it interprets the main principles and targets of the state educational policy, defines levels of education and the respective level of the Slovak Qualification Framework and the European Qualification Framework, graduate’s profile, characteristics of the field of study and its length, the form of education and training, the form of practical education, educational areas, educational standards, guidelines for education and training of pupils with special educational needs, framework teaching plans, the language of instruction, particularities of education of pupils with disabilities and gifted pupils in compliance with principles of inclusive education, particularities of education of foreigners, particularities of education of children and pupils in national minorities schools and classes.

School educational programme (SchEP): SchEP is the fundamental school document, according to which education and training take place at a given school. It must be created in compliance with the current legislation and the respective State educational programme. It states the school’s vision, goals, mission, and focus. It takes into account pupils’ needs related to their further education, or career while reflecting the possibilities of the region. It specifies the content of education in the teaching plan using all available lessons (schools can have more teaching plans provided it has classes with a different focus). SchEP can also be an international programme, which is implemented with written approval by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic, or an approved experimentally verified innovative programme. All school’s pedagogical employees should participate in the creation of the SchEP. It is issued by the headteacher after a discussion with the school’s pedagogical council and the school board. It is published in a public place within 60 days of its approval. Curricula of individual subjects are not published unless the school head decides otherwise. 

The compliance of SchEP with the SEP is monitored by the State School Inspection (Štátna školská inšpekcia).

State educational programme for gymnasium study 

The State Education Programme as well as the guidelines for the creation of school educational programmes was created by the National Institute of Education and Youth (Národný inštitút vzdelávania a mládeže - NIVAM) – an expert institution directly controlled by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic. Education according to State Educational Programmes has been taking place since 1st September 2008. Their content was innovated and updated in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2023.

The state educational programme (SEP), which also represents the first level of the two-level model of education also defines the framework content of education. SEP is divided into 7 educational areas:

Language and Communication is comprised of subjects divided into two groups: languages of instruction and foreign languages.

Mathematics and Work with Information develop mathematical thinking and deepen pupils’ abstract, analytical, systematic thinking and logical reasoning. It fosters the ability to use information-communication technologies, information sources and possibilities of computer programmes efficiently and creatively.

The main characteristic of the educational area of Man and Nature is an interdisciplinary approach and close cooperation within science subjects.

The main goal of the educational area of Man and Society is an active approach to reflecting the past and the present in the context of a place, region, and country. Furthermore, it leads pupils to respect the basic democratic principles and prepares them for responsible civil life in a democratic society.

The main task of the educational area of Man and Values is to actively participate in the formation pupil’s personality, support the comprehension and internalisation of moral norms and aid with the adoption of behaviour in compliance with the norms.

The educational area of Arts and Culture develops pupils’ complex perception of culture and art in the context of the current social processes.

The educational area of Health and Exercise focuses on realising the need for lifelong care for one’s health, acquiring theoretical knowledge and practical skills related to healthy lifestyle and exercise.

SEP also includes cross-curricular topics, which should be paid attention to in the educational process. These are personal and social development (marriage and parenthood education), environmental education, media education, multicultural education, and protection of life and health.

The state educational programme, in the form of a framework teaching plan (FTP), assigned each educational area the number of compulsory lessons in subjects that belong to the respective educational area. The breakdown into individual grades of study is in the schools’ competence. In addition to compulsory lessons in individual educational areas, the state educational programme also defines the number of available lessons, the weekly number of lessons of a study programme and the maximum number of lessons per study. 

The framework teaching plan (FTP) according to the SEP for 4-year and 5-year bilingual gymnasiums. The SEP assumes that the FTP is implemented at minimum over 33 weeks of the school year.

Source: NIVAM, 2023. Inovative State Educational Programme for Gymnasiums with 4-year and 5-year Educational Programmes (Inovovaný ŠVP pre gymnáziá so 4-ročným a 5-ročným vzdelávacím programom). (Last Accessed on 24 January 2024)

Framework teaching plan (FTP) according to the SEP for 8-year gymnasiums. The SEP assumes the FTP is implemented at least over 33 weeks of the school year.

Source: NIVAM , 2023. Framework Teaching Plan for 8-year Gymnasiums with the Slovak Language of Instruction. (Rámcový učebný plán pre gymnáziá s osemročným štúdiom s vyučovacím jazykom slovenským.)(Last Accessed  24/01/2024).
NIVAM, 2023. Framework Teaching Plan for 8-year Gymnasiums with a National Minority Language of Instruction. (Rámcový učebný plán pre gymnáziá s osemročným štúdiom s vyučovacím jazykom národnostnej menšiny.) (Last Accessed  24/01/2024).

State educational program for secondary vocational school study

State educational programme for study at secondary vocational schools is prepared by the State Institute of Vocational Education (Štátny inštitút odborného vzdelávania). The framework teaching plan for general education is prepared by the NIVAM (National Institute for Education and Youth) and for vocational education by the State Institute of Vocational Education. 

The state educational programme is prepared for the whole group of fields; it contains a description of the educational programme and defines the provided level of education, health requirements for applicants, graduate’s profile and framework teaching plans. The state education programmes for vocational education are updated according to the labour market needs. 

General education in both Secondary vocational schools and gymnasiums is divided into the same areas, only the number of lessons is different. The framework teaching plan in vocational education defines the ratio of theoretical and practical vocational education and its minimal binding extent. The framework plan is the basis for the creation of specific school educational plan’s teaching plans, which will elaborate the educational areas into subject or module curricula. The number of lessons for each educational area represents the necessary minimum. It can be expanded using the pool of available lessons in school educational programmes according to study fields’ needs and schools’ intentions. There are 3 types of framework teaching plans in vocational study fields:

• Study fields completed by the school-leaving examination (‘Maturita’) in which practical training has the form of vocational practice,
• Study fields completed by the school-leaving examination (‘Maturita’) in which practical training has the form of vocational training, 
• Study fields completed by the school-leaving examination (‘Maturita’) for ‘graduates’ of from study fields that have the form of a 2-year follow-up study. 

Framework teaching plans for study fields providing upper-secondary education and the follow-up forms of vocational education:

A – Weekly number of lessons per study, B -  Minimum total number of lessons per study

In the educational area of Language and Communication, the FTP of secondary vocational schools lists the Slovak language and literature and a foreign language. Schools with a national language of instruction teach the Slovak language and literature, the national minority language and literature, and a foreign language.

Available lessons are shared by the general and vocational education components.

The weekly number of lessons in these study programmes ranges from 33 to 35 lessons per week.

In 2-year lower secondary vocational education study fields, the educational area 'Language and Communication' does not contain a foreign language; in 3-year lower secondary vocational education study fields, pupils learn only one foreign language. In schools with a minority language of instruction, pupils learn the Slovak language and literature, the national minority language and literature, and a foreign language. The weekly number of lessons is 30-32.

Framework teaching plans for 2-year lower secondary vocational education study fields:

A – Weekly number of lessons per study, B -  Minimum total number of lessons per study

Source: State Institute of Vocational Education (Štátny inštitút odborného vzdelávania), 2023. Vocational Education and Training: Groups of State Educational Programme Study Fields (Odborné vzdelávanie a príprava: Skupiny odborov ŠVP). (Last Accessed on 24/01/2024).