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National reforms related to adult education and training
Slovenia

Slovenia

14.Ongoing reforms and policy developments

14.5National reforms related to adult education and training

Last update: 31 March 2025
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2025

Modernisation of adult education

Financing education system

The main amendment to the draft Act amending the Organisation and Financing of Education Act (predlog Zakona o spremembah in dopolnitvah Zakona o organizaciji in financiranju vzgoje in izobraževanja) concerns the determination of the amount of funds for development and investments in the field of education and training, which are linked to the share of gross domestic product (GDP), namely 0.5%. See National reforms in school education.

Proposal for a one-stage appointment procedure of the head teacher 

The most important change in the procedure for appointing the headteacher or director proposed by the draft Act amending the Organisation and Financing of Education Act (predlog Zakona o spremembah in dopolnitvah Zakona o organizaciji in financiranju vzgoje in izobraževanja) is replacing the Minister’s opinion with the institution of consent. Thus, it became a one-stage procedure. See National reforms in school education.

Reforming school inspection

In January 2025, the Ministry of Education published a draft School Inspection Act (predlog Zakona o šolski inšpekciji). The draft law introduces a number of new features in the functioning of the school inspection. The main innovations are the introduction of systemic inspections and the provision of expert assistance. See National reforms in school education.

Other policy development

Provision of ICT equipment for educational institutions

In February 2025, the Ministry published a Call for Proposals for the provision of ICT equipment to educational institutions (Poziv k oddaji potreb vzgojno-izobraževalnih zavodov za dodelitev opreme informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije). See National reforms in school education.

Incentives for professional development of education staff 

In February 2025, the Ministry of Education published an invitation to apply for co-funding of the professional development programmes for the 2025/2026 school year (Javni razpis za izbor in sofinanciranje programov profesionalnega usposabljanja za šolsko leto 2025/26). See National reforms in school education.

In March 2025, within the framework of the Public Call for Study Aids for Subsidising Tuition Fees for Further Education of Education Staff in the 2024/25 academic year (Javni razpis študijskih pomoči za subvencioniranje šolnin za nadaljnje izobraževanje strokovnih delavcev v študijskem letu 2024/25), the Ministry awarded subsidised tuition fees. See National reforms in school education.

Promoting participation of adults in lifelong learning

In January 2025, the Ministry of Education published the Call for proposals for the co-financing of adult education programmes and activities in 2025. The subject of the call for proposals is the co-financing of general adult education programmes in the school year 2024/25 and activities in adult education in 2025 in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia. The aim of the call for proposals is to increase the participation of adults in lifelong learning, with a particular focus on the less educated and other vulnerable groups.

The following strands will be co-financed under the call for proposals:

  • study circles
  • intergenerational cooperation and learning activities of universities for the third life cycle
  • Parade of Learning - Learning Communities Day
  • coordination of subcontractors and events in the Lifelong Learning Weeks 2025
  • nationally relevant tasks in adult education

The indicative amount of funds available is EUR 1,000,000.00.

Actions to reduce the shortage of education staff

In September and October 2024, the Ministry of Education amended the previously published Public Call for Applications for Scholarships to Students of Pedagogical Study Programmes in the 2024/2025 academic year (Javni razpis za dodelitev štipendij študentom pedagoških študijskih programov v študijskem letu 2024/2025). 

In November 2024 and January 2025, scholarships were awarded on this basis. See National reforms in school education.

Changes to the competences of the institution's council

The draft Act amending the Organisation and Financing of Education Act (predlog Zakona o spremembah in dopolnitvah Zakona o organizaciji in financiranju vzgoje in izobraževanja) proposes certain changes to the competences of the institution's council. See National reforms in school education. 

2024

Modernisation of adult education

Financing the public service in adult education

In October 2024, the Rules amending the Rules on standards and norms for funding and provision of programmes and activities for adults (Pravilnik o spremembah in dopolnitvah Pravilnika o standardih in normativih za financiranje in izvajanje javne službe na področju izobraževanja odraslih) were published in the Official Gazette. The amendments to the Rules concern, among other things, the calculation of labour costs, the possibility of providing additional funds to the provider of the public service in the field of adult education, and the reporting by providers on the performance of their activities. 

The Rules thus provide that, in addition to the previous adjustment to the average salary grade of education staff or professionals implementing counselling activities after every three years, the determination of the labour cost for teachers implementing the adult basic school programme, adult education organisers organising the adult basic school programme and for professionals implementing counselling activities in the field of adult education shall also be adjusted to any changes in the field of salaries and other labour costs in the field of education and training. 

The amendment to the Rules also provides for the possibility of providing additional funds for the implementation of the adult basic school programme or for the implementation of counselling activities, if the allocated funds are insufficient for their implementation. The funds will be allocated on the basis of a reasoned application.

The providers of the adult basic school programme (for each semester) and the counselling activity (once a year) are now obliged to submit a substantive and financial report on the implementation of the programme or activity, in accordance with the Rules. In addition, providers of counselling activities are now also required to submit a monthly report on the volume of counselling activities carried out.

Incentives for obtaining upper secondary education, short-cycle higher vocational education and vocational qualification

In December 2024, the Ministry of Education published a Call for applications for the co-financing of obtaining upper secondary education, short-cycle higher vocational education and vocational qualification 2024-2029 programme (short: The Obtaining Education 2024-2029). The Obtaining Education 2024-2029 programme is implemented by the Public Scholarship, Development, Disability and Maintenance Fund of the Republic of Slovenia as the beneficiary, on the basis of the operation selection method "direct approval of the operation - programme". The aim of the operation is to increase the participation of adults in lifelong learning and to improve the professional competences required by adults to meet the needs of the labour market, to increase employability and mobility and to function in modern society. The aim of the operation is to provide adults with education and vocational qualification.

The operation is intended to co-finance the costs of training for the acquisition of education and vocational qualifications in the following areas:

  • lower vocational education programmes leading to a final examination certificate, including retraining,
  • upper secondary vocational education programmes leading to a final examination certificate, including retraining,
  • upper secondary technical education programmes leading to the vocational matura,
  • upper secondary vocational and technical education programmes leading to the vocational matura,
  • gimnazija programmes and taking general matura exam leading to the general matura certificate,
  • the matura course leading to the general matura certificate,
  • vocational courses leading to the vocational matura certificate,
  • master craftsman’s certification examinations, including preparation for examinations leading to the award of a master craftsman’s certificate,
  • foremen's and shop managers' examinations, including the preparation for the examinations leading to the award of the shop manager's or foreman's certificate,
  • programmes of short-cycle higher vocational education leading to a diploma.

Financial literacy in adult education programmes

In May 2024, following the decisions of the Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for adult education, the Minister responsible for education ordered the adoption of the financial literacy education programmes for adults:

Developing competences for sustainability in adult learning

In March 2024, following the decisions of the Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for adult education, the Minister responsible for education ordered to adopt two education programmes for adults: Let’s discover the power of nature – Developing knowledge and skills about the environment (Odkrivajmo moč narave – Razvoj znanj in spretnosti o okolju in trajnostnosti) and sustainability and Understanding health – the path to a healthy lifestyle (Razumevanje zdravja – pot do zdravega načina življenja).

Other policy developments

Reform of the wage system

In November 2024, representatives of the government and public sector unions signed collective agreements or annexes to contracts and agreements, which form the basis for the reform of the wage system. See National reforms in school education.

Participation in the international assessment of adult skills

In July 2024, the Government took note of the Information on Slovenia joining the project OECD PIAAC 2024–2029 (Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies). The Slovenian Institute for Adult Education has been appointed to develop and coordinate the implementation of the project.

Annual Adult Education Programme

In February 2024, the Government adopted the Annual Adult Education Programme in the Republic of Slovenia for 2024. It adheres to the guidelines from the Resolution on the National Programme of Adult Education in the Republic of Slovenia for 2022–2030 and the Amending Budget of the Republic of Slovenia for 2024. It defines the following objectives:

  1. Increase adult participation in lifelong learning
  2. Improve the level of core competences and improve the overall education of adults
  3. Raise the level of educational qualification of adults
  4. Increase the population's capacity to respond effectively to the needs of the labour market
  5. Boost research and development in the field of adult education
  6. Improve and boost activities in the field of adult learning.

Target groups of adults for the programmes and activities in the annual plan (LPIO 2024):

  • Adults with low basic skills in terms of employment status, age or other characteristics
  • Adults in need of improving their general education for personal needs and addressing challenges in their community
  • Adults in need of further vocational or professional upskilling or training in line with labour market needs
  • Early leavers from education and training and dropouts
  • Seniors (65+)
  • Adults with limited access to social, cultural, economic and educational goods.

€92,502,916.75 of the state budget is planned for the LPIO 2024, of which € 32,788, 959.77 from the budget of the Ministry of Education.

Extending the profiles of adult educators

In May 2024, the Ministry of Education published several Rules on the educational qualification of educators and other education staff in the adult education programmes:

Navedeni pravilniki določajo smeri izobrazbe, ki jih morajo imeti učitelji in drugi strokovni delavci v izobraževalnih programih za navedene programe, ki jih je sprejel minister, pristojen za izobraževanje, z odredbami o sprejemu izobraževalnih programov za odrasle (Uradni list RS, št. 110/22, Uradni list RS, št. 125/23, Uradni list RS, št. 112/22).

Support for the organisation of adult learning

In March 2024, the Ministry of Education published a call to apply for co-funding salaries of employed adult education organisers in public adult education organisations and public upper secondary schools in 2024 (Javni razpis za sofinanciranje plač zaposlenih organizatorjev izobraževanja odraslih v javnih organizacijah za izobraževanje odraslih in javnih srednjih šolah v letu 2024). The objective is to financially support providers and provide funds for salaries and monitoring institutions in planning the number of hours of educational activities, the number of participants, the number of employees and other capacities, and the number of hours of realised educational activities. The indicative amount of available funds is €412,745.00.

Inclusion of migrants in non-formal learning of the Slovenian language

In March 2024, the Ministry of Education published the Rules on criteria and knowledge standards for the non-formal adult education programme in Slovenian Language learning at a breakthrough level. The programme is aimed at candidates who must renew their residence permits for family reunification. The achievement of knowledge standards is assessed with a compulsory examination in the Slovenian language. The objective is to develop the basic proficiency to communicate in the most predictable and repeatable situations, i.e. at the level pre-A1 and A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or to survive in a new local environment

Development of digital competences

In February 2024, the Ministry for Digital Transformation published a call to apply for funding for non-formal adult education in digital competences for 2024 and 2025 (Javni razpis za financiranje izvajanja neformalnih izobraževanj za odrasle na področju digitalnih kompetenc za leti 2024 in 2025). The target group are citizens of 30 and older with no or only basic digital competences. The indicative amount available is €6,000,000.00.

In April 2024, the Act amending the Digital Inclusion Promotion Act was published in the official gazette (Zakon o spremembah in dopolnitvi Zakona o spodbujanju digitalne vključenosti) It will provide for a more efficient operation of the mechanism to open access to computer equipment for vulnerable groups of population. The detailed definition of groups of beneficiaries entitled to borrow computer equipment in the context of every call for applications is linked by law to a current plan for promoting digital inclusion. In February 2024, a working group developed the draft National Education Programme for 2023–2033. See Chapter 14.2.

Youth work against youth precarity

On 10 November 2023, the Ministry of Education published a call for applications ‘With youth work against youth precarity'. The purpose is to increase the safety of young people who are a vulnerable group in the labour market. The aim is to train and empower young people and youth workers on the issue of precarity through an established supportive environment in the youth sector. The selection of operations was carried out within the European Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027 framework. 50 projects, 1 national project in the form of a consortium of partners and 49 pilot projects were selected for a total value of €5,008,269.50.

2023

Modernisation of adult education

In December 2023, the Ministry of Education published the Public call for applications for co-funding adult education programmes and activities in 2024. It aims to increase participation in lifelong learning targeted at adults with lower educational qualifications and other vulnerable groups.

The following sections are co-funded:

  • Study clubs
  • Programmed of intergenerational cooperation and learning of popular education universities
  • Learning parade – Day of learning communities
  • Coordination of subtractors and events of the Lifelong Learning Week 2024
  • Nationally significant activities in adult education

The provisional funds available is €979,754.60.

In December 2023, the Operation to raise awareness, provide information to various groups of public and promote participation in lifelong learning within the European Cohesion Policy programme 2021 2021–2027 was approved. The aim is to raise awareness about the significance of learning and thereby contribute to improving the participation of adults in lifelong learning, developing competences of adult learners for their functioning in society and responding to the technological, demographic and climate changes. The plan is to spread the positive attitude towards lifelong learning within the wider society, and thereby, facilitating progress in personal, social and work life, and improving cooperation between providers of adult education at national and local levels. The total of public funds allocated amounts to €5,732,500.00. The beneficiary is the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education.

In November 2023, the minister responsible for education issued two decrees on the adoption of adult education programmes, specifically "Initial Integration of Immigrants" and "Computer Literacy for Adults", replacing previous programmes of the same name.

In June 2023, the ministry responsible for family, social matters and equal opportunities laid before the Government the draft Resolution on the national programme for equal opportunities of women and men until 2030. See chapter 14.2.

In March 2023, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the draft Digital Slovenia 2030 strategy. See chapter 14.5.

In March 2023, the ministry responsible for labour, family, social matters and equal opportunities released to public consultation the draft Resolution on the national programme of prevention of domestic violence and violence against women. See chapter 14.2.

In March 2023, the ministry responsible for education advertised the Call for applications for co-funding salaries of organisers of adult education on staff in public adult education organisation and public upper secondary school in 2023. It involved a financial assistance to providers to secure funds for salaries of employees and to monitor planning the number of hours of educational activities, participants, employees and other capacities, and to monitor the realisation of educational activities performed. The indicative scope of funds available is €400,000.

In March 2023, the ministry responsible for education advertised the Call for applications for co-funding activities in adult education. It aimed at increasing the participation in adult learning, in particular, targeted at low-skilled adults and other volnerable groups. The co-funding covered study courses, the Learning parade – a day of learning communities, coordination of subcontractors and events in the Lifelong learning week 2023, and nationally relevant activities in adult education. The indicate scope of funds available was €750,000.

In January 2023, the minister responsible for education adopted the new Rules on standards and norms for funding and provision of programmes and activities for adults. It specified norms and standards for placing value on officially recognised education programmes for adults which do not lead to officially recognised educational qualification; non-formal education programmes for adults, study programmes for training and continuous education, methodology for placing value to other activities as specified by the Adult Education Act, and standards for rooms and equipment for the provision of officially recognised programmes for adults which lead to officially recognised educational qualifications. The Rules specified the up to now undetermined field of funding the programmes and activities of adult education when it goes for public funding.