Distribution of responsibilities and organisation on central level

Laws and other enforceable regulations and national programmes are passed by the National Assembly, whereas statutory documents are passed by the central government or relevant ministries.

Ministry of Public Administration

Realm of the ministry: systemic organisation and operations of the public sector, public employee system, salary system in the public sector, and administrative operations.

In cooperation with other line ministries, the ministry's responsibilities include:

• Reducing administrative burdens and improving the quality of public administration
• Public procurement, NGOs, and local self-government at a systemic level
• Electoral and referendum systemic regularisation, and transparency and integrity in the public sector
• Managing the national communication network and supporting the development of electronic services for citizens, the economy, and the country, and
• Systemic regularisation of effective and good management of physical assets at state and local levels.

Ministry, responsible for education

In 2023, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport was disbanded into two ministries. Consequently, the responsibilities relevant to the education system too were split between two ministries.

Ministry of Education

Realm of the ministry: school education (ISCED 0–5), short-cycle higher vocational education, basic music education, and adult education

The organisational structure is made up of two directorates and one office, several divisions, and services responsible for activities in specific areas.

Preschool and Basic Education Directorate (see Preschool and school education)

Upper Secondary, Short-Cycle Higher Vocational and Adult Education Directorate (see Preschool and school education)

Education Development and Quality Office

It is tasked to:

• Review and develop the education system
• Learning and teaching, and
• Initial and continuous professional development of education staff as providers and co-creators within the system of education.

It cooperates with governmental expert councils in the area of education, participates in the Eurydice network, oversees the evaluation of the education system, and lays the foundations for research and development related to all levels of education.

Cohesion Policy Implementation Service

It is tasked to:

• Coordinate programming and pursue cohesion policy of the ministry
• Advocate for the ministry's outlines and positions in professional and programme EU bodies at the national level
• Participate in developing the primary and secondary legislation and other executive instruments in the field of the ministry's cohesion policy
• Provide technical support to the ministry's units in the area.

European Affairs and International Cooperation Service

It is tasked to:

• Develop and coordinate international activities of the minister at home and abroad
• Coordinate the development and review of the realisation of agreements and other bilateral instruments with the EU and other countries
• Participate in the activities of interstate committees for cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and other countries
• Review draft legislation and strategic documents of the European Commission in education.

Internal Audit Service

It is tasked to:

• Provide assurance impartially and fairly about the relevance and efficiency of the ministry's administration, risk management system, and internal controls that allow for the realisation of goals
• Evaluate the risk exposure and reliability of data and information, accuracy and transparency of reporting, the performance of operations and public spending, property protections, a due account of laws and rules, guidelines, procedures, and agreements
• Recommend measures for improvement based on the findings of the internal audit
• Provide support in introducing changes that lead to better operations of the ministry.

Education Digitalisation Service

It is tasked to:

• Plan, pursue procedures and reviews activities relevant to digitalisation vertically at all levels of education
• Support the broadband connectivity of schools and connectivity in schools
• Raise awareness of options for internet access and school equipment (purchase of digital equipment, applications, and e-learning platforms)
• Offer support to educational institutions with planning for digital transformation at all levels of education and training
• Promote the development of digital pedagogy and competence in using digital tools in education
• Participate internationally as a partner in different EU projects and associations.

To support the ministry in pursuing educational policies and developing national rules and programmes the government appointed the following consultative bodies:

• Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for General Education

It was established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on 16 May 1996.

Responsibilities:

- Determine professional affairs in general education

-Offer professional support with making decisions and developing rules

• Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational and Technical Education

It was established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on 21 March 1996.

Responsibilities:

- Determine professional affairs in vocational and professional education

- Offer professional support with making decisions and developing rules

• Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for Adult Education

It was established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on 23 May 1996.

Responsibilities:

- Determine professional affairs in adult education

- Review and evaluate the situation and development of adult education in the light of quality and international comparability

- Offer professional support with making decisions and developing rules.

• Council of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth

It was established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on 19 January 2023.

Responsibilities:

- Determine professional affairs in sports, and

- Offer professional support with making decisions.

• Council of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on Student Issues

It was established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on 10 October 1996.

It is responsible for short-cycle higher vocational education students.

• Council of the Republic of Slovenia for Higher Education

Responsibilities relevant to school education include consenting to the national qualifications framework.

In addition, the ministry and other stakeholders rely on the expertise of specialized research and development institutions, including:

• National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia
• Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training
• Slovenian Institute for Adult Education
• National Examinations Centre
• Educational Research Institute
• Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes
• Centre for School and Outdoor Education
• National School of Leadership in Education, and
• Slovenian School Museum.

The organisational structure of the ministry includes two affiliated bodies (bodies within the ministry) for which the ministry assumes the responsibility:

1. Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth

The office is responsible for:

• Championing the interests of the youth and the youth sector
• Acting as the main coordinator of activities within the youth policies
• Determining actions and measures to regulate the position and situation of young people from tip to toe
• Reviewing the position and situation of young people in cooperation with other state and local authorities and evaluating the impacts of measures to bring out the needs and interests of young people in shaping policies.

It is a state authority in the field of youth work. It maintains relative autonomy in shaping youth policies. Among other, it offers financial support to youth programmes and facilitates research on youth.

2. Inspectorate of Education and Sport

The inspectorate is tasked to:

• Carry out inspections to monitor the enforcement of laws and other rules applying to the provision in kindergartens, basic schools, music schools, upper secondary general and vocational schools, higher vocational colleges, educational institutions for SEN children and youth, adult education organisations and private setting proving teaching and learning in officially recognised programmes
• Supervise and monitor:
  • Eligible use of public funds in educational activities
  • Enforcing laws specifying residential halls for basic school and upper secondary school students
  • Provision of sports programmes within local communities and exercising public interest in sports
  • Provision of professional activities in sports
• Assure the exercising of the rights of sportsmen and sportswomen in sporting events
• Overview of violence prevention in sports and at sporting events.

 

Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

The realm of the ministry: higher education, science, research, technology, development, and innovation

It pursues educational policies and develops national rules and programmes.

The National Council for Higher Education acts as a consultative body to provide support with specific issues and shaping the policy. The responsibilities include:

• Advising the government in developing and amending the higher education laws
• Participating in planning the development of higher education studies
• Promoting and developing cooperation among higher education institutions
• Cooperating with councils of experts for a separate field of education, science and technology
• Cooperating with the National Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Quality in Higher Education.

The organisational structure of the ministry is made up of three directorates:

1. Higher Education Directorate

The directorate's responsibilities include:

• Activities in the field of higher education and assessment and recognition of education
• Activities that allow higher education institutions to keep pace with accelerated dynamics of change in the development of society and requirements for addressing modern challenges successfully, namely by way of:
• Quality assurance by using international criteria
• Stimulating work and study environments
• High standards of academic culture and ethics
• Addressing current and future needs of economy and non-economy, and society in general
• Respecting institutional autonomy
• Social responsibility, integrity, and trust
• Equality and non-discrimination
• Dignity
• Equity and inclusion
• Designing the environment to lead to broad well-being of society
• Funding projects and activities in the field of higher education
• Accommodating the realisation of the higher education national programme
• Active support with drafting legislative solutions and other instruments, whereby the ministry's key task is to make provisions for the development and quality of higher education.

The organisational structure of the directorate:

Higher Education Division

It is responsible for:

• Developing systemic solutions for policy-making or higher education development strategy
• Developing rules in higher education
• Reviewing and evaluating the impacts of the national programme of higher education
• Integration into European higher education area or regional integrations and EU bodies.
• Records of higher education institutions, study programmes, private higher education teachers, student residential halls, and subsidise residence of higher education students
• Funding of higher education and other institutions
• Tracking socio-economic issues of students
• Pursuing the strategy for internationalisation of the Slovenian higher education 2016–2020, and
• Promoting Slovenian language learning.

ENIC–NARIC centre

The ENIC network (European Network of Information Centre) is made up of information centres of member countries of the Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES. The NARIC network (National Academic Recognition Information Centres) is an initiative of the European Commission. It is made up of international centres of Member States of the EU, the EEA countries, and the associated countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

The national information centre ENIC-NARIC was established by the Republic of Slovenia as a party to the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

It is tasked to:

• Collect, communicate, and regularly update information on education systems, including the national education system
• Run procedures for assessment and recognition of educational qualifications
• Offer observations of educational qualifications by the relevant law
• Counsel and inform individuals and institutions about education in Slovenia and abroad.

2. Science Directorate

The directorate is responsible for:

• Developing and pursuing the government policy on research
• Executive tasks related to the realisation of the Resolution on Research and Innovation Strategy of Slovenia 2011–2020, the framework document with the support of the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) as an executive agency.

The directorate is tasked to:

• Set up a modern research and innovation system to provide for a better quality of living to all by:
  • Addressing efficiently the challenges of the society
  • Improving the added value per employee, and
  • Creating more and quality jobs.

The organisational structure of the directorate:

Science Division

It is tasked to:

• Develop professional background for policy documents in research
• Develop primary and secondary legislative rules in the relevant areas
• Set up and build the system of analysing and reviewing the situation and development of research activities
• Develop new instruments for pursuing strategic goals in research
• Plan the funding
• Participate actively in steering and implementing the Horizon Europe framework programme from 2021 to 2027.

R&D Structural Funds Division

It is tasked to:

• Develop professional background documents
• Pursue activities part-funded by the European Cohesion Fund
• Plan contents and procedures in the scope of the programme document in R&D
• Administer public calls and other instruments
• Run financial procedures (agreements) in the relevant area.

3. UNESCO Office

The office's responsibilities include:

• Professional-administrative tasks for the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO
• Pursuing activities relevant to cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and UNESCO
• Cooperate with national committees and authorities of other countries and NGOs
• Facilitate the participation of Slovenian representatives at an international meeting of UNESCO
• Coordinate work and activities with government and non-government bodies and organisations that make up the commission party to the commission, as well as other bodies and organisations that can contribute to the realisation of the programme and activities.

Both ministries are directly responsible for drafting, evaluating, analysing, and implementing legislation and regulations at all levels of education.

Other relevant ministries

Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities

Related to education, the ministry is responsible for the social status of students and their families, and it has a role in the field of vocational and adult education

Ministry of Finance

The ministry is responsible for treasury, public accounting, public funds, state budget, public procurement, tax and customs system, government revenue, financial assets, guarantees, public borrowing, public-private partnership, transparency of financial dealings, detecting and preventing money laundry, gaming supervision, state aid, and macroeconomic trends and analyses.

Other ministries participate in shaping and pursuing policies in specific areas, such as armed forces, internal affairs, public administration, health, and culture.

Regional development agencies

Slovenia is not organised into regions. However, regional development agencies have been established in all statistically defined regions to promote regional development. Together with municipalities and business entities, they play an important role in creating uniform regional scholarship schemes and already established regional policy instruments.

Regional scholarship schemes were quickly established as an effective instrument in all developing regions. All regional development agencies have run the schemes with EU funds. Based on experience, the agencies have standardised the procedures and rules of operation and thereby facilitate the planning and operating of the system. The main aim of the instrument is to assist employers in finding suitable scholarship recipients, calculate and pay out the scholarships by following harmonised procedures and rules, and oversee the scholars for the duration of their education and beyond.

Institutional level

Preschool and school education

The governance and administration of early childhood and school education are under the domain of the Ministry of Education, which includes powers of funding for educational institutions. The Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities is responsible for affairs related to the socio-economic status of pupils and their families, including scholarship policies.

Preschool and Basic Education Directorate

It is responsible for:

• Providing activities in preschool education, basic education, and education of children with special needs
• Attending to the exercising of special rights for members of national minorities and ethnical groups in preschool and basic school education
• Attending to basic music education

Organisational structure of the directorate:

1. Preschool Education Division
2. Basic Education Division
3. Special Needs Education Division

Upper Secondary, Short-Cycle Higher Vocational and Adult Education Directorate

It is responsible for:

• Carrying out activities related to short vocational and upper-secondary vocational education, upper-secondary technical education, upper-secondary general education, education at resident halls for upper-secondary students, short-cycle higher vocational education and adult education
• Coordinating related to admission to upper secondary and higher vocational colleges and resident halls for upper secondary students
• Financially supporting projects to facilitate the implementation of numerous programmes and activities for adults and the National Programme of Adult Education
• Participating in the drafting of legislative and other acts and measures, particularly, whereby the directorate's main task is to create the proper environment for the development and quality of education in the respective area.

Organisational structure of the directorate:

1. Upper Secondary and Short-Cycle Higher Vocational Education Division
2. Adult Education Division

The Ministry of Education can rely on the professional support of:

Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for General Education

The council is tasked to:

• Adopt programmes for preschool education and for the education of children with special educational needs
• Adopt education programmes for students with emotional and conduct disorders and problems and special programmes for SEN students
• Specify education programmes in general education and consent to the programmes in vocational education for members of Italian and Hungarian communities
• Adopt education programmes for residence halls for basic school and upper secondary school students
• Specify timetables and subject-curricula or subject areas for basic school and music school, general upper-secondary schools (gimnazije) and matura examination course
• Specify knowledge catalogues for examinations at the end of basic school cycles, music school and matura examination
• Consent the subject and examination knowledge catalogues in the part relating to general education subjects or contents in vocational education
• Determine instructions for modified provision of education programmes
• Determine activities for the optimal development of SEN children and youth
• Adopt instructions for modified provision of the programme for Romani students
• Approve textbooks for general education programmes
• Assess and determine the equivalent educational standard of education programmes of private basic and upper secondary education
• Determine official recognition of education programmes of private basic, upper secondary general and music schools according to Article 17 Organisation and Financing of Education Act
• Consent the general contents of education programmes of private upper secondary vocational and technical schools according to Article 17 Organisation and Financing of Education Act
• Consent on the merits of the preschool education programme
• Recommend to the minister:
  • programmes of basic education
  • programmes for music education
  • programmes of supplementary education for children of Slovenian national minorities in neighbouring countries and workers abroad, children of the Romani community
  • Modified education programmes for SEN children and youth
  • Education programme for gimnazija and matura examination course
• Undertake other tasks as specified by law.

Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational and Technical Education

It is tasked to:

• Determine subject and examination knowledge catalogues for theoretical subjects and mojster (master craftsman) exam
• Determine the scope and contents of education in work-based short upper-secondary and upper-secondary vocational education
• Determine the organisation of provision (school year, periodic)
• Determine the content of the intermediate examination
• Adopt textbooks and learning material for theoretical technical subjects
• Determine the equivalent educational standard of adult education programmes in the scope within its responsibility of determining knowledge catalogues
• Award the title of higher vocational college title in cases of lecturers’ assembly not yet have been constituted
• Recommend to the minister:
  • programmes of vocational and/or technical education
  • modified education programmes for SEN children and youth
  • norms and standards for school equipment and school workshops.
• Carry out other tasks as specified by law.

The council also participates in shaping policies and legislation in the field of short-cycle higher vocational education. The school inspection of the Inspectorate of Education and Sport monitors the implementation of regulations, including the provision of educational activities, organisational affairs, and public spending (see Ministry of Education).

The government evaluates the performance of the education system through external examinations at the end of the second and third cycles of basic and four-year upper secondary school, and national evaluation studies. This makes it possible for the government to assess the impact of introduced measures, especially in terms of curriculum. Kindergartens and schools can use the feedback for their self-evaluation and development. Evaluations are not used to rank kindergartens, schools, or teachers.

Slovenia participates in international comparative studies (TALIS) and international large-scale student assessments (PIRLS, PISA, and ICCS). This provides the government and other relevant institutions with external, comparative information on the education system and its development through time.

Tertiary education

The Ministry of Education is responsible for the administration, management, and funding of short-cycle higher vocational education, and for quality assurance procedures and accreditation.

The ministry set up the Upper Secondary, Short-cycle Higher Vocational and Adult Education Directorate (see Preschool and school education).

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology is responsible for the governance and funding of higher education.

Higher Education Directorate

It is tasked to:

• Supervise the provision of education programmes
• Develop and exercise rules in the respective area of activities
• Develop strategic background for national policies.

It seats the ENIC-NARIC centre that is responsible for the assessment and recognition of education in the Republic of Slovenia.

Other directorates described in the introductory section deal with tertiary education in part or as required by the specific areas of work.

The ministry receives input from the Council of the Republic of Slovenia for Higher Education.

The council, among others, is tasked to:

• Advise on the platform and development of the national programme of higher education
• Advise on the development and amendment of higher education legislation
• Advise on planning the development of higher education
• Consent to the national framework of qualifications
• Carry out other tasks as specified by law.

The Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational and Technical Education participates also in the shaping of policies and legislation in short-cycle higher vocational education.

Two other consultative bodies are particularly relevant in this context, namely the Council for Science and Technology, and the Council for Student Affairs.

Professional technical and administrative tasks related to the implementation of the EU education and training and study mobility are the responsibility of the Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes (CMEPIUS). It coordinates the Erasmus+ programme and awards several scholarships, such as CEEPUS, NFM/EEA, bilateral scholarships, and grants for Slovenian language studies.

The quality of higher education institutions, study programmes and research, arts and technical projects is assessed by higher education institutions (through self-evaluation) and the National Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (NAKVIS).

As with lower levels of education, the socio-economic status of students is in the domain of the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. The ministry is responsible among other for scholarship policies and is the founder of the Slovene Human Resources Development and Scholarship Fund. This is the responsibility of the Lifelong Learning Division in the ministry.

The ministry is responsible also for National Vocational Qualifications. In this system, candidates can seek formal recognition of the skills and knowledge that they attained outside the formal system of higher education and that they need at their jobs.

A further area of work is the care for families and disabled persons, which includes student families and families of disabled students.

Adult education

The government is responsible for the overall development of adult education. Local communities, on the other hand, are responsible for establishing the relevant organisations and therefore hold the founders' responsibilities. The supervision of adult education falls under the responsibility of the Inspectorate for Education and Sport.

The Ministry of Education is responsible essentially for adult education at the central level. It has the Upper Secondary, Short-cycle Higher Vocational and Adult Education Directorate (see Preschool and school education) set up to support the ministry with carrying out its responsibilities:

• Adopting the officially recognised programmes
• Determining requirements and environment for education staff
• Determining material requirements
• Keeping registers of officially recognised programmes, and
• Co-funding the provision of programmes, and
• Offering support with activities defined with the annual programme of adult education.

To offer support with making decisions the ministry can rely on the expertise of the Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for Adult Education. Among other, the council is tasked to:

• Recommend to the responsible minister the adult education programmes
• Consider and consent to the education programmes modified for adults that lead to an officially recognised qualification
• Determine the equivalent educational standards in areas for which it is competent to determine knowledge catalogues
• Consider other professional issues related to the development and operations of the adult education system
• Determine knowledge and examination catalogues of programmes, and
• Approve textbooks and learning material for adult education programmes for which it is competent to determine knowledge catalogues
• Consent to the suitability of textbooks and learning material for adult education

Public interest in adult education is determined by the national programme. The government recommends the programme upon consultation with the Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for Adult Education. The national programme is adopted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia and pursued based on the annual programme. It includes programmes and activities funded by the state budget. The annual programmes are adopted by the government and implemented by the relevant ministries.

The ministries allocate specific programmes, keep registers of public adult education providers, enter into agreements with the providers and provide funding for adult education institutions that were founded by the government.

Other ministries that are responsible for specific aspects of adult education and training are:

• Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
• Ministry of the Interior
• Ministry of Culture
• Ministry of Health, and
• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food.

For details see the Adult education and training. Distribution of Responsibilities.