National reforms in school education

14.Ongoing reforms and policy developments

14.2National reforms in school education

Last update: 8 April 2024

2024

Modernisation of basic and upper secondary general education (gimnazije)

In February, the Act amending the Basic School Act was published in the Official Gazette. The new law introduced amendments to the areas of national knowledge assessments, extended programme, rights of students being educated at home, and compulsory foreign languages. It also mandated national knowledge assessments for 3rd-grade students. It introduced the possibility of considering the results of 9th-grade national knowledge assessments as one of the criteria for selecting candidates in case of the enrolment cap for the upper secondary education programmes.

The amended text of the law also revised the concept of the basic school's extended programme. Changes defined that the previously valid elements of the extended programme (after-school classes, supplementary and additional lessons, individual and group learning support, and non-compulsory elective subjects) are to be reorganized with content from the fields of physical activity, health, cultural and citizenship education, and learning strategies. The law is linked to the adopted curriculum document, which defines these areas in detail. Participation in these activities is voluntary for students, and the knowledge gained in the programme will not be assessed and marked. With the enactment of the law, schools can implement the program before, during, and after classes. Schools are required to offer these contents to first graders before and after the compulsory programme, ensuring structured activities during morning and afternoon care.

The amendment introduced compulsory first foreign language in the first grade of basic school. Following the pilot programme of introduction, a foreign language in the compulsory programme and piloting the concept of the extended basic school programme, the introduction of a compulsory first foreign language in the first grade was evaluated in practice. It was found that 92.73 per cent of first graders were included in the first foreign language class in the 2016/2017 school year, with the percentage increasing over the years.

Changes to the law also affect home education for students. Among other things, they will ensure an equivalent educational standard with students who are educated in schools. This means that students educated at home will now have to take exams in all subjects of a given grade.

The law amendment introduced the lessons of Slovenian sign language and the language of the deaf-blind. It also defined other systemic changes in the education of students with special needs and home education for students with special needs.

The amendment enabled the organization of holiday care for children with special needs, addressing the issue of integrating children with special needs into other organized forms of care. The possibility of extending the status for three years for students attending a basic school program with a lower educational standard is now regulated. The law also detailed the issue of home education for students with special needs, which has so far been regulated only by relevant rules. It regulated the possibility of more flexible forms of education.

In February, the Working Group for the Development of the National Education Programme for the period 2023–2033 drafted the document. The proposed strategic goals and measures aim towards a high-quality and sustainably oriented education system, founded on scientific findings, built on the good practices of the Slovenian kindergarten and school, and sensitively and flexibly adapting to the challenges of modern society. The document outlines 21 strategic goals, 51 strategic sub-goals, and 284 measures, divided into 6 priority areas: social development and the role of education, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for optimal individual development, teaching, learning, monitoring progress, and assessing knowledge, professional and career development of education staff and leaders, the system of quality assurance and evaluation, and the education system.

The proposed strategic goals and measures guide the education system in the following development directions:

Educational activities in kindergartens and schools
Promoting literacy and reading culture
Developing digital literacy
Strengthening cultural-artistic education
Supporting the psychosocial development and social and emotional learning of children and youth
Strengthening the inclusive orientation
Ensuring conditions for good mental and physical health
High-quality teaching and learning
Well-educated, skilled, and satisfied education staff and leaders
An upgraded quality assurance system with self-evaluation
Improved cooperation between institutions and professionals in support of professional work.
More content-aligned work of institutions: priority areas (development plan, annual work plan), continuous professional development, support from external professionals, and self-evaluation.

In February, the Ministry of Education sent the draft Resolution on the National Programme for Youth for the period 2023–2032 for inter-ministerial coordination. This foundational programme document defines priority activities and measures in the public interest in the youth sector.

Key directions of the draft resolution include:

Providing better opportunities for young people through education and training, both formal and non-formal.
Ensuring economic and social security for young people based on employment policies, thus facilitating their independence.
Encouraging the participation of young people in public affairs management.
Following the principles of sustainable development
Pay special attention to the health and well-being of young people and health inequalities.
Enable a safe start to young people's professional paths.
Encourage and facilitate cultural and artistic engagement of young people.

The draft resolution in the field of education defines the following goals:

Care for a safe and supportive learning environment
Comprehensive management of the area of talented young people
Renovation of the education system for green and digital transition
Modernization of vocational and technical secondary education including apprenticeship, renovation of higher vocational study programs, and establishment of digitally supported learning sites
Linking education with the economy
Development of a supportive environment for collaborative practices of open learning environments – examples of connecting formal and informal educational or learning spaces.

Other policy developments

In March, the minister of education adopted the following orders:

The first order specified that the changes to the special part of the basic school programme determine:

Curriculum for the extended basic school programme
Basic school timetable
Adapted basic school timetable with Slovenian language of instruction in the ethnically mixed area of Slovenian Istria
Adapted timetable for the bilingual basic school in the ethnically mixed area of Prekmurje
Adapted timetable for the basic school with Italian language of instruction in the ethnically mixed area of Slovenian Istria
Subject-curriculum for foreign language in the first grade as a compulsory subject in the basic school programme.

The order to amend the adapted basic school programme of lower educational standard specified changes to the following timetables and subject-curricula:

Timetable of the adapted basic school programme of lower education standard
Timetable of the adapted basic school programme of lower education standard for bilingual basic school
Subject-curriculum for the compulsory Music art
Subject-curriculum for the compulsory Home economics
Subject-curriculum for the elective Nutrition and dietary habits.

The order to amend the adapted basic school programmes of the equal educational standard specified changes to the following timetables:

Timetable of the adapted basic school programme of equal educational standard for the blind and visually impaired
Timetable of the adapted basic school programme of equal educational standard for the deaf and hard of hearing
Timetable of the adapted basic school programme of equal educational standard for children with speech and language disorders
Timetable of the adapted basic school programme of equal educational standard for children with physical disabilities
Timetable of the adapted basic school programme of equal educational standard for children with autism spectrum disorders.

In February, the Ministry of Education issued the Public call for applications for scholarships to students of pedagogical study programmes for the academic year 2024/2025. The purpose of the call is to encourage young people to pursue education in those pedagogical study programmes for obtaining qualifications for professions where a mismatch between the current and future workforce availability and the anticipated job market in the field of education is observed. The goal of the public call is to award 100 scholarships. TFor this purpose, €280,000.00 is planned.

In February, the Ministry of Education issued the Public call for applications for selecting and co-funding professional training programmes for education staff for the 2024/2025 school year. The programmes are published in the Catalogue of further education and training programmes for the 2024/2025 school year, and among them, those are selected, which are state-co-funded. Professional training programmes are shorter forms of career development programmes intended for the professional and disciplinary development of an individual education staff or professional working group in education.

The public call specified the following priority topics set by the Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for general education:

Teaching, learning, and assessing outcomes of the learning and study process, emphasizing modern teaching technology and innovative teaching and learning approaches.
Sustainable development and active citizenship.
Talented students in the educational process and education of children with special needs (sensitization and training in the use of new pedagogical methods and approaches).
Implementing lifelong career guidance with an emphasis on providing equal opportunities for vulnerable groups.
Social-emotional competences and well-being in education and empowering education staff to address mental health and addiction issues.
Counselling work in the educational and study process.
Development of communicative proficiency in the Slovenian language, bilingualism/multilingualism, and media literacy.

The anticipated amount allocated for co-funding professional training programmes for the 2024/2025 school year is €350,000.00.

In March, the Rules amending the Rules on funding outdoor school. It no longer includes a section on payments to education staff, as the rights of education staff to payments (basic salary and supplements) for work performed in outdoor school are regulated by laws governing salaries in the public sector and the collective agreement of the sector and cannot be the subject of a subordinate regulation. It also aligned the article text with the Basic School Act. Outdoor school is defined as an organized form of educational activity that takes place intensively over three or more days during school time and is conducted outside the school premises. The regulation is also aligned with the new Annex h to the collective agreement for the education sector in the Republic of Slovenia (Official Gazette of RS, No. 13/24), which stipulates in Article 105.a that an employee accompanying or performing educational work two or more consecutive days (camps, stays in nature, outdoor school, professional excursions, Erasmus exchanges, etc.), is entitled to payment amounting to 2.5 daily allowances for business trips in the Republic of Slovenia exceeding 12 hours, for each day of work outside the institution's location. New definitions are provided for the costs of outdoor schools, the costs of education staff, and external providers. The regulation no longer includes a limit on costs per student or limits on education staff's costs based on the accommodation price per day per student.

In February, the Ministry of Education issued a draft Rules amending the School competition co-funding Rules. Among others, it specifies that the criteria for determining the number of awards for competitors, in addition to selection competitions, also apply to interest competitions, except the Competition of young musicians of the Republic of Slovenia (TEMSIG) and the Competition of young ballet dancers of the Republic of Slovenia (BALTEK). The amendments include a new article on interest competition in the Slovenian language (Cankar award), which is conducted by the National Educational Institute Slovenia, and for which no payment or reimbursement of expenses from schools and individuals can be demanded. Furthermore, the proposal stipulates provisions regarding the records of certificates issued to competitors, mentors, and professional collaborators, which are to be kept permanently, expansion of the eligible costs for conducting competitions, and the possibility of access to records in the process of resolving appeals against unofficial results.

In February, the Government adopted the draft Act amending the Matura Examination Act. Among others, the draft law aims to provide a legal basis for the possibility of accessing the assessed examination documentation, lodging appeals against marks in a digital environment, and concerning this, the management of personal data, which was inadequately defined in the provisions on maintaining records with personal data. The purpose of the proposal is to ensure these possibilities for the next examination term of the general matura, allowing the National Examinations Centre to obtain the electronic addresses of candidates for the general matura from the matura registration forms. Thus, every general matura graduate could, after the announcement of the general matura results, become acquainted with their assessed examination papers through digital access and decide based on this whether to lodge an appeal against the grade for a particular subject. The appeal could also be submitted electronically. The objective of the proposal is also to improve the wording of the provision that regulates the right to take the matura in two parts and to define the decision-making process when asserting the right more precisely to recognize taking the matura in two examination terms, in two parts, and with retrospective recognition.

In February, the Agreement amending the Strike Agreement, signed between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Education, Science, and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia (SVIZ), was published in the Official Gazette. Because of the public financial consequences of the August floods, there was a delay in the reform of the public employees' pay system, necessitating changes to some of the unrealized points of the Strike Agreement. The draft of the Agreement amending the Strike Agreement was initialled by the government negotiating team and SVIZ on January 10, 2024.

In February, Annex H to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia was published in the Official Gazette, concluded by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and representative trade unions in the field of education and higher education. Among others, the annexe regulated the status of employees posted to perform educational work or accompany children, pupils, or students outside the institution's location, lasting two or more days (e.g., various camps, stays in nature, outdoor school, professional excursions, Erasmus exchanges, etc.), specifying a longer reference period for the daily and weekly rest of staff sent on multi-day educational work or escort outside the institution's location (such as outdoor school and other forms of multi-day stays in the field with children, pupils, students, persons in care). The annexe also more appropriately regulated payment for multi-day stays in the field. By government proposals, it was agreed among social partners that this payment be included in the already existing Article 105.a of the Collective Agreement for the education sector so that employees posted on multi-day educational work or escort outside the institution's location are entitled to payment amounting to two and a half daily allowances for business trips over 12 hours in the Republic of Slovenia, for each day of work outside the institution's location.

In February, the Government adopted the Action Plan on Drugs for the period 2024–2025. The substantive basis of the action plan is the Resolution on the National Programme on Illicit Drugs 2023–2030, whose overarching goal is to reduce and limit the harm to individuals, families, and society caused by abusing illicit drugs.

Within the set goals of the resolution, the action plan envisages, among others, the following implementation activities:

Strengthening education for the implementation of early prevention programmes in the educational, social, and health sectors.
Enhancing programmes, education, and other measures for the systematic inclusion of preventive content at all levels of the education system.
Training staff and healthcare workers to implement preventive programmes and activities for children and young people, parents.

Funding for the activities from the action plan is planned within the adopted financial plans of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities for the years 2024 and 2025. Additionally, activities are also included in the financial plan of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia for the year 2024, with further financing expected from local communities and the Foundation for Financing Disability and Humanitarian Organizations in Slovenia.

In February, the Decision establishing posts in kindergartens, schools, and educational institutions for SEN children and young people where public sector employees are entitled to an allowance under item 8 Article 39 of the Collective agreement for the public sector was published in the Official Gazette. It defined posts in kindergartens, schools, and institutes for the education of children and youth with special needs, where public employees are entitled to an allowance under point 8 of Article 39 of the Collective Agreement for the Public Sector, replacing the previous decision and specifying which posts education staff are entitled to an allowance for implementing the adapted programme and for other frontline activities in kindergarten and for implementing the adapted, special, and educational programmes and for other frontline activities in a school or institute for the education of children and youth with special needs.

In January, the minister of education adopted the Rules amending the Rules of teacher education student grants. See section 14. 4.

In January, the Order to amend the Gimnazija of economics education programme was published in the Official Gazette. The minister responsible for education adopted the amendments following the decision of the relevant council of experts. It replaced the programme of the same name, adopted by the Order to adopt the education programmes for general and vocational gimnazije (Official Gazette of RS, No. 13/20). The education programme will start in the 2024/2025 school year.

In January, the draft Act amending the Music Schools Act was sent for inter-ministerial coordination. The draft specifies new subjects in the jazz and popular music groups. It also regulates the procedures for distance education and updates the data collection and protection by entering the personal identification number of the child or student and the tax identification number of the parent. In terms of content, the draft more precisely defines the responsibilities and criteria for introducing additional instruction for an individual student. Progression in the first period of the lower level of the educational programme for music is more specifically defined. The amendment equates the right of second-grade students to extend their education by one year in case of prolonged justified absence of the student.

2023

Modernisation of basic and upper secondary general education (gimnazije)

The tasks defined by the Action Plan for drafting the proposal of incorporation of Slovenian sign language into the preschool, basic school, and upper secondary education systems for 2021–2024 were conducted. Among others, a final report was developed with data analysis on the inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing adults in basic and upper secondary education programmes, including experiences from abroad and recommendations, the material on information and counselling approaches for deaf and hard-of-hearing adults in adult education counselling activities, which is carried out as a public service, as well as guidelines for sign language interpreter assistants, advice to interpreter assistants, and tables of possible adjustments when conducting national knowledge assessments.

Within the project "Modernisation of education programmes with the modernisation of key programme documents (Kindergarten curriculum, subject-curricula, and knowledge catalogues)", most curricular commissions were appointed in 2023: commission for the development of the document on common goals, curricular commission for the first educational period, and subject-specific curricular commissions. The National Education Institute Slovenia conducted training for members of the curricular commissions on the modernisation of the programme documents, incorporating common goals into subject-curricula and knowledge catalogues for developing didactic recommendations and using the computer application for designing subject curricula and knowledge catalogues.

In December 2023, the relevant Curriculum Council approved the document "Common goals and their incorporation into the subject-curricula and knowledge catalogues" developed by the relevant Commission.

The Commission identified five areas of common goals:

Language, citizenship, culture, and art
Sustainable development
Health and wellbeing
Digital competence
Entrepreneurship (including financial literacy).

Within these areas, the Commission selected sub-areas or competences, and defined key (fundamental) goals, which the subject-specific curricular commissions could sensibly incorporate among the subject goals and knowledge standards in their subject-curriculum and didactic recommendations.

In November, the Government adopted the Strategy for the Integration of Non-European Union Nationals into the Cultural, Economic, and Social Life of the Republic of Slovenia. It is based on the fundamental principles of integration policy, which in an open and democratic society enables the integration of all social subsystems into society. The goals of the strategy are defined by individual sections in a way that aims for the broadest social and societal integration of foreigners into society.

Sections of the strategy are:

Language integration
Integration in the field of education
Integration into the labour market
Integration into the local environment
Optimization of administrative procedures and elimination of administrative barriers
Cooperation with diasporas.

Within the segment on integration in the field of education, the following goals are envisioned:

Creating normative foundations that will enable the successful linguistic integration of immigrant children and students into the education system.
Further development of learning materials and ensuring quality teaching of Slovenian as a second and foreign language.
Establishing normative foundations for the successful inclusion of immigrant children and students in the educational environment.
Training of education staff to promote the social and cultural integration of immigrant children and students and a supportive learning environment.

In August, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the strategy and action plan for the greenefication of the public educational and research infrastructure in Slovenia until 2030 . It was a strategic document that served as the basis of the systematic and development-centred system of funding public educational and research infrastructure until 2030. The strategy aims to upgrade public infrastructure to satisfy the requirements of modern educational and research processes.

In June, the ministry responsible for labour, family, social matters and equal opportunities laid before the Government the draft resolution on the national programme for equal opportunities for women and men until 2030. This strategic document includes goals and actions, as well as key institutions that will spearhead the policies of equal opportunities for women and men in individual areas of life in the Republic of Slovenia from 2021 to 2040. For the sector of education, the draft document determines this goal and foresees two actions aimed at lowering gender segregation:

Including the content of gender equality in the subject-curricula, learning material and programmes of professional development in education, as well as establishing gender equality during lessons and after-school activities along with diversity and transversal attributes.
Promoting non-gender stereotyped choices of education programmes and studies at all levels of education.

In March, the ministry responsible for labour, family, social matters and equal opportunities released for public consultation the draft resolution on the national programme of preventing domestic violence and violence against women that lists seven aims:

Diverse, continuous, quality and widely accessible social care and other support programmes for domestic violence victims and victims of violence against women, and programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence and violence against women.
Better treatment and protection of domestic violence victims and victims of violence against women, as well as better procedures (practices) for managing these problems.
Highly competent professional staff who know how and have experience in dealing with matters of domestic violence and violence against women, and victims of such violence.
Zero tolerance towards domestic violence and violence against women, high level of awareness of this area and preventive activities in the society.
Improved/modernised/up-to-date rules on preventing domestic violence and violence against women by including the aspect of gender.
Providing quality information about domestic violence and violence against women.
Improved organisation of the preventing domestic violence and violence against women, human and financial sources for sustainable operations of the system and improved and consistent cooperation of all relevant stakeholders.

Within those aims, the draft resolution foresees certain actions in the area of education, too, such as setting up a single approach to keeping records and administrating the database about child victims of domestic violence and victims of bullying (by gender, age), and regular raising awareness and education about the problems of online violence against women and children, namely for students of basic school, upper secondary school and education staff.

In January, the Service of the Republic of Slovenia for digital transformation developed the draft Digital Slovenia 2030 strategy. See Chapter 14.5.

Other policy developments

In December, the Public call for co-funding the status rights of athletes included in the education system for the year 2024 was published in the Official Gazette.

The goals of the public call are to:

Improve the quality of incentives for sport-talented schoolchildren
Provide support in coordinating school and sports obligations
Increase the quality of work in sports departments in secondary schools.

The anticipated co-funding of the mentioned content in 2024 amounts to up to €372,752.00.

In December, the Act amending the Scholarship Act was published in the Official Gazette. It enabled a student with a socially weaker background, who achieves exceptional achievements, to receive both a need-based state and merit-based Zois scholarship simultaneously starting from the 2024/2025 school year. The amendment also specified that the state scholarships as of January 1, 2024, will remain at the same level as they were at the end of 2023.

One of the novelties is the transfer of the Ad futura scholarships to the ministry responsible for higher education and the ministry responsible for education. Currently, its implementation is in the realm of the Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities, for which the procedures at the first level are conducted by the Public Scholarship, Development, Disability, and Maintenance Fund. Since it primarily promotes study abroad, the funding and authority for this type of scholarship was transferred with the amendment to the Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the Ministry of Education. The transfer of the Ad futura scholarships will be conducted for the school or academic year 2025/2026.

The amendment also unified the naming and aligned the legislation with the new concept of selection and co-funding of school competitions, adopted in May 2021 by the then Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport. The School competition co-funding Rules adopted at that time classified competitions into selection and interest competitions, which was inconsistent with the terminology defined in the Scholarship Act.

In November, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the Rules on the teaching certification examination. Among others, an additional condition was specified for education staff applying to take the professional examination for a preschool teacher, preschool teacher assistant, teacher, lecturer of higher vocational school, accompanist, instructor, or laboratory assistant, with completed five practical performances, namely, that they must now also do the practical performance as education staff in the officially recognised education programme or education programme with official recognition for which they have to by law pass the professional examination in education.

In October, the Act amending the Act on Special Rights of the Italian and Hungarian National Communities in Education was published in the Official Gazette. The amendment allowed children with special needs to be placed into a relevant adapted and special educational programme regardless of the municipality of their permanent residence. Previously, only children from the ethnically mixed area could be placed in a bilingual school implementing adapted and special educational programmes. Now, this is also an option for children with special needs who have a permanent residence outside this area.

In October 2023, the Ministry of Education issued draft amendments to the following rules:

The proposed changes add new alternative posts for accounting-administrative and technical staff, which will be considered in calculating the cost per student of upper secondary education programmes and which schools can classify from December 1, 2021, onward, and changes in the area of salaries, as determined by Annex H to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia (Off. Gaz. RS, No. 136/22) and Annex H to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia (Off. Gaz. RS, No. 11/23), relevant from April 1, 2023. On April 1, 2023, the classifications of posts or titles were raised by one pay bracket.

In September, the minister responsible for education and training adopted the new Rules on the criteria and methods for the valuation of material expenses in educational institutions for children with special needs. The new regulation included among the criteria for valuing material costs for professional centres also an intensive group, an apartment for youth, and a group in a daily form of work. It also provided for an allowance for telecommunications costs for the institution or professional centre that does not have free broadband internet access.

In September, the Public call for the co-funding of the "Modernization of Computer Networks in Educational Institutions" project within the Recovery and Resilience Plan was published in the Official Gazette. It is aiming to update the computer networks at educational institutions in basic and upper secondary education, as well as adult education organizations by June 30, 2026, thereby ensuring appropriate technology for the remote automatic management of networks. The total amount of funds allocated under the public call amounts to €3,525,800.00, including VAT.

In September, the Act Determining Intervention Measures for Recovery from the Floods and Landslides of August 2023 was published in the Official Gazette. To facilitate the renovation and elimination of flood consequences for parents who suffered property damage, among other provisions, the law specified that for the school year 2023/2024, students are provided with free lunch or snack based on the decision of the Social Work Centre.

In September, the Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Remedy the Consequences of the Floods and Landslides in August 2023 to provide immediate help to affected people in natural disasters and it determined an intervention to help pay for school meals. By this law, the children now have the right based on the decision on the extraordinary funds for floods and landslides relief to a subsidy for school meals in the amount of the school snack and/or school lunch (upper secondary students to the subsidy for a school snack in the amount of the price for a school snack). The funds for subsidies of school meals will be provided by the state budget. The eligibility period will be from 1 September 2023 to 31 December 2023.

In September, a group of parliament members laid before the National Assemble draft Act amending the Scholarship Act. See chapter 14.4.

In August, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules on the promotion of education staff to titles. The rules were adopted as required with the amendment of the 105 Article Organisation and Financing of Education Act that introduced a new title senior advisor in education and is read as the realisation of the Strike Agreement between the Government of the Republic and the Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia. The rules also determine the extended selection of criteria on the evaluation of extra professional activities, include and address in particular promotion extra/lenient criteria for professional staff in officially recognised education programmes for children and youth with special educational needs, and provides for preschool teachers who carry out the modified education programme for SEN preschool children to be promoted as it applies for preschool teachers in kindergartens (before the promotion rules for other education staff applied).

In July 2023, the minister responsible for education adopted the Order to amend the Music education programme in basic music and dance education. The amendment introduced to the timetable of the Music in basic music and dance education programme a new subject cimbalom and the relevant subject-curriculum. The amended timetable and the new subject-curriculum will be put into effect with the 2024/2025 school year.

In June, the National Assembly adopted the Act amending the School Meals Act. From 1 September 2027, all basic school children will be entitled to free school lunches. During transitional period, for basic school students in households with average monthly income per person as determined with the child benefit decision below income bracket 4 as specified by the Act on Right to Public Funds the entitlement to the free lunch will start with 1 September 2023; for those above the upper threshold of the income bracket 4 and below upper threshold of the income bracket 5 the entitlement to the subsidy for lunch in the amount of 50 percent of the lunch price will start with 1 September 2024. The Act also determined that the ministry will within three months since the Act had entered into force publish a public call for proposals for a pilot project on a central school kitchen to allow for a more modern food preparation for several educational institution. The central school kitchen would be organised in the scope of a public educational institution. The funds for the pilot project will be provided from the state budget and the budget of a local community.

In June, the minister responsible for education adopted amendment to the following rules as required by the amendment to the norms and standards in basic and upper secondary school:

The main amendments to the norms and standards in basic schools relate to lowering the requirement for school meals organisers in basic schools, more favourable requirements for a counselling staff, more favourable criteria for the post of head teacher assistants, change in norm for a teaching load in schools with fewer classes, new criteria for classification of the accountant post, optional classification of administrative posts, lower norm of implementing the outdoor school programme, and classification of extra hours in Slovenian or initial lessons of Slovenian for students foreigners.

Amended norms and standards of implementing education programmes for SEN children relate to pursuing by analogy the amendments proposed to basic schools and upper secondary schools also to amended obligation within educational activities and number of preschool teachers in an individual group, classification of the new posts teacher and preschool teacher to communicate with students in the Slovenian sign language, and teacher and preschool teacher to pursue activities with deaf blind, a more favourable requirement for the classification of carers, norm for setting up classes of only children with serious or severe intellectual disabilities, and new criteria for setting up classes for mobile service of the mobile team.

Amended norms and standards in upper secondary schools introduce changes that apply by analogy to all levels of education and for upper secondary SEN students and relate also among others to more appropriate evaluation of teacher's activities of organising and coordinating other forms of educational activities, and to the implementation of norms for accompanying students in all forms of organised activities with students that are part of education programme and run outside school space.

In July, the ministry responsible for education put into inter-ministerial coordination the draft Act amending the Basic School Act. The main solutions introduced in the draft law relate to changes in national assessment, introduction of the new concept of the extended basic school programme, introduction of compulsory learning the first foreign language from grades 1 to 9 and the second foreign language from grades 7 to 9, and stricter requirements for home-schooling. It makes the national assessment compulsory for grade 3 students. The aim is to observe the results also in the first educational period, and to give an option of making the national assessment testing high-stakes or use the results as one of the selection criteria in case of capped enrolment in upper secondary education.

The draft amendments to the law propose a new concept of the extended programme in the scope of which the school develop a stimulating and safe learning environment with more room for cooperation among students, more options for applying the principle of equal opportunities and considering the needs and interests of students. The law introduces three thematic areas: movement and health for good psychical and physical well-being, culture and tradition, and the life and work of basic school.

The draft amendments to the law also propose the beginning of compulsory learning of the second foreign language in the third educational period (grades 7 to 9) and the beginning of the compulsory learning the first foreign language in grade 1. As to home schooling the draft proposes making home-schooled students equal to students at school whereby the main goal is for the first to acquire the equal educational standard. Now the knowledge of home-schooled students would be assessed in all subjects of the relevant timetable of the officially recognised basic school programme in which the student is taking part.

In June, the Act amending the Organisation and Financing of Education Act was published in the official gazette Uradni list Republike Slovenije. It established among others the legal background for continuing the trial implementation of innovation if the innovation had not yet been introduced into the education system at the end of its trial implementation, so that would mean a temporary discontinuation of the activities. To avoid this, the act determined that after the end of the trial at the national level, the minister will issue a decision to continue the implementation of the new programme or innovation at schools and kindergartens that participated in the trail and under the same conditions as they applied during the trial and do so until the end of the school year following the end of the trial.

By law now, the barriers to employment in the education of individuals without all requirements fulfilled have been reduced. It determined that an employer could enter into agreement with a candidate who does fulfil the requirements for level and field of education but no certificate of professional examination for a fixed term of two years. During this term the newly employed professional staff can pass the professional examination, and then enter an open-ended employment agreement. Candidates who fulfil the requirements for level and field of education, but do not have a pedagogical, pedagogical-andragogical or special-pedagogical educational qualification can be offered to enter a fixed-term employment agreement of three years if they enrol within one year of entering the employment agreement on a relevant study programme to obtain pedagogical, pedagogical-andragogical or special-pedagogical educational qualification. If the professional staff fulfil all the requirements, they can be offered to enter an open-ended employment agreement.

In May, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the draft Act amending the Act on Special Rights of Italian and Hungarian National Communities in Education. The draft provided for SEN children to be placed in relevant modified and special education programme irrespective of the permanent residence. It established legal background for SEN children without residence in a bilingual area to enrol in schools in bilingual areas.

In April 2023, the ministry responsible for education issued a public call for applications for co-funding of classes offering extra sports in basic schools for the 2023/2024 school year. The aim is to increase hours of sports in basic schools and improve the quality and attractiveness of sports education for children and youth. The subject of the call is co-funding classes offering extra sports in basic schools that carry out the officially recognised programme at the level of the first educational period. Eligible applicants are basic schools that carry out the officially recognised education programme and will in the 2023/2024 school year, set up classes offering extra sports for students enrolled in grades 1 2 and 3 whereby the programme must include at least 1 extra hour of sports per week.

In April, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the Rules on additional professional and physical assistance for children with special needs. It determined among others that in special circumstances, additional professional assistance to overcome disabilities, barriers and disorders and in the form of counselling will be granted also to children placed in a special programme if they need additional professional assistance in tyflopedagogy, surdopedagogcy, social pedagogy and speech therapy. It also determined that deaf-blind children placed in a modified programme and with entitlement by a placement decision to an interpreter, receive assistance in the language of deaf-blind persons or in other relevant forms of communication from a teacher or preschool teacher or interpreter for deaf-blind persons. A teacher or preschool teacher for communication in the Slovenian sign language or a teacher to work with deaf-blind students can be provided to schools, in which students have been placed, by institutes for education of SEN children and youth established for activities with deaf and hard of hearing or with blind children and youth, or the school can enter an agreement for provision of a service.

In April, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Action plan of the Republic of Slovenia for child guarantee 2022 to 2030. The aim of the plan is to establish equal opportunities for all children and prevent intergenerational poverty. It will help to raise the level of well-being of children, enable to all children equal opportunities and rights, strengthen the protections and security, and improve the options of inclusion and participation for children. Special focus is on general accessibility of early childhood education and care, education (including school activities), at least one healthy meal every school day for all children, widely accessible health care, and efficient access to healthy nutrition and proper accommodation. In developing target actions, a special attention was on children migrants, children with migrant background or children from ethnic minorities (in particular Roma children), children with special needs, children with mental health problems and/or mental disorders, and children who live in dysfunctional, uncertain family circumstances and/or children with disadvantaged socio-economic background, and children in alternative care (in particular institutional).

In April, the minister responsible for education adopted the Order to amend the adapted education programme with lower educational standard of nine-year basic school. It determined following the decisions by the Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for general education subject-curricula for a compulsory subject Technics and technology, optional subjects in Treatment of materials: wood, man-made material and metals, and a compulsory subject of Fine art. Subject curricula will start to apply with the 2023/2024 school year.

In March, the ministry responsible for education advertised a call for applications for 170 traineeship posts for the 2023/2024 school year. Selected candidates enter the traineeship employment relationship for pursuing educational activities of a teacher, preschool teachers, counselling staff or librarian in basic school and institutes for education of SEN children and youth, music school, residential hall for basic school and upper secondary students, upper secondary schools that are registered under providers of officially recognised programmes. The eligible candidates meet specific requirements for trainees in education for educational qualification and seek first employment in education or have fewer experience than required to be able to take professional examination.

In March, the Strike Agreement between the Government of the Republic and the Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia was published in the official gazette. Among others, it determined agreement about norms and standards in education, relations between salary brackets of education staff and salaries of staff in other subgroups, introduction of the new senior Councillor title, resolving of open issues of a worker posted on a several day educational activity or accompanying outside the school’s or institute’s catchment area, overall regime and valuation of extra work of education staff for increased weekly teaching load and replacements that is pursued in the form of teaching lessons, and agreement to consider the principle of equal valuation of teaching and research jobs for which a doctoral degree is required.

In March, the ministry responsible for education advertised an call for selection and co-funding of the continuous professional development for the 2023/2023 school year. It was an invitation to apply to providers of the CPD programmes for education staff that will be listed in the Catalogue of further education and training programmes for the 2023/2024 school year. Among the programmes proposed, certain will be selected for co-funding from the state budget. Besides general themes, the call lists also the following priority themes:

Teaching, learning and assessment of results in the learning and study process aimed in particular at the modern teaching technology and innovative approaches to teaching and learning
Sustainable development and active citizenship
Talented in the educational process and education of SEN children (sensibilisation and training for new pedagogical methods and approaches)
Implementation of life-long career guidance and provision of equal opportunities aimed in particular at vulnerable groups
Socio-emotional competence and well-being in education, and raising awareness in education staff to be able to cope with topics of mental health and addiction
Counselling activities within educational and study process
Development of proficiency in Slovenian language, bilingual/plurilingual and media literacy.

In March, the Act amending the Matura Act was put into inter-ministerial coordination. It further elaborated on the right to take matura examination in two parts and the method on how to obtain that right; it further elaborated on the circumstances, too, that would apply as justified for recognising the autumn term as the same as the spring term when enrolling in tertiary education.

In February, the ministry responsible for education put up for inter-ministerial coordination the draft Act amending the Act on Special Rights of Italian and Hungarian National Communities in Education. The amendment proposed allows for children with special educational needs to be placed in adapted and special education programmes not considering the municipality of the child’s permanent residence. By law now, only children from ethnically mixed areas can be placed in bilingual schools providing adapted and special education programmes. According to the amendment, this option will not be limited, so children with special educational needs whose permanent residence is outside that area could be placed there.

In February, the ministry responsible for education issued a public call for applications for scholarships for students in initial teacher education study programmes for the academic year 2023/2024. See chapter 14.4.

In February, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the Rules on the teaching certification examination. It introduced the pedagogical practice as working experience suitable for taking the professional examination for trainees, too, in the share of one-third at most of the scope determined for pedagogical practice in education or study programmes; and the organised direct activity aimed to educate in the scope of 55 hours at most for education staff with upper secondary educational qualification and of 80 hours for education staff with short-cycle higher vocational or higher education. Before, it applied only to education staff who had not done traineeship in education but had conducted educational activities in a kindergarten or school. The Rules introduced also the option of complementary taking the professional examination for candidates who had been or will be education staff in a kindergarten or school with the Italian medium of instruction or bilingual kindergarten or school and who had already passed the professional examination according to this Rules but not according to the Act on Special Rights of the Italian and Hungarian National Communities in Education. The amendment gives the national communities a greater guarantee for a higher quality of lessons in their respective language.

In February, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the Rules on the selection and co-funding of continuing education and training programmes for education staff. The Rules included programmes of public institutes and programmes of higher education institutions among the programmes of career development. The relevant public institutes are those tasked to develop and provide advisory services. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia established them to pursue activities and responsibilities needed for the provision of education. So, the programmes of those institutes are programmes of career development which are organised according to the annual plan of the institutes. The study groups and mentor networks are on the list. Programmes of higher education institutions are programmes for the career development of education staff which are provided and organised by the higher education institutions or public research institutes.

In February, the minister responsible for education adopted three rules for education in ethnically mixed areas:

The first two determine requirements for:

Proficiency in Italian or Hungarian language as the medium of instruction which education staff in kindergartens and schools must demonstrate.

Proficiency in Italian or Hungarian language as the languages of national communities which administrative-technical staff must demonstrate in schools and kindergartens.

The third Rules determined requirements and schemes for granting or revoking a public authorisation for organising the exam in Italian or Hungarian language proficiency as mediums of instruction or languages of national communities, as well as the scope, content and method of administering examination for pursuing educational and other activities in kindergartens or schools with Italian medium of instruction or bilingual kindergartens and schools.

In January, the Annex to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia was published in the official gazette Uradni list Republike Slovenije. See chapter 14.1.

2022

Modernisation of basic school and gimnazija education

In December, the minister responsible for education issued a decision to appoint a working group tasked to develop the National programme of education 2023–2033. The working group’s background is the commitment of the coalition to address a complete renovation of the system of education and training as one of the key priorities of the government led by dr. Robert Golob. Various professionals in the field of education became members of the working group following a public call by the ministry. The working group’s target is to develop by the end of 2023 a National programme of education by 2033.

In June, the minister responsible for education signed a decision to approve the "Analytical hub" project. The project runs on the recovery and resilience plan. The purpose of the project is to improve the system of assessing and assuring quality, and to cultivate the culture of data-driven operations and to develop data literacy. The goal of the project is to set up an analytical hub that will affiliate the network of institutions to assess and assure quality, and support data-driven education policy-making. There is €0.6 million in the recovery and resilience plan planned for the implementation in the period 2022 to 2026. The project contractor is the ministry responsible for education.

In April, the minister responsible for education signed the decision to approve the “Modernisation of education programmes by modernising the key programme documents (kindergarten curriculum, subject-curricula, and knowledge catalogues)” project. The project runs on the recovery and resilience plan. The purpose of the project is the modernisation of kindergarten curriculum, basic school and gimnazija subject-curricula, and knowledge catalogues for general subjects of upper-secondary vocational and technical education to include reasonably the digital competences and basic content of computer science and informatics, and sustainable development competences and financial literacy. In April, one appointed the curricular council to monitor and steer the modernisation. It met for the first time in August 2022. There is a total of roughly €4 m planned for the implementation in the scope of the recovery and resilience plan for the period of 2022 to 2025. The project operator is the National Education Institute Slovenia.

In February, the Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for general education adopted the background documents for the modernisation of the kindergarten curriculum. To support the developing of the background documents, the ministry responsible for education developed in 2020 the “Insight into the challenges of the Slovenian education” (Pogled na izzive slovenske vzgoje in izobraževanja). It identified key challenges of the education system based on the analysis made by the ministry in the scope of the internal diagnostics and in consideration of certain recommendations by the public institutes and school inspectorate. To support the process, the ministry carried out in 2021 a cycle of seven technical consultations on future challenges of education, namely on the premise of the document mentioned.

Other policy developments

In December 2022, the minister responsible for education issued a decision to appoint a working group tasked to develop the National programme of education 2023–2033. The working group’s background is the commitment of the coalition to address a complete renovation of the system of education and training as one of the key priorities of the government led by dr. Robert Golob. Various professionals in the field of education became members of the working group following a public call by the ministry. The working group’s target is to develop by the end of 2023 a National programme of education by 2033.

In December, the minister responsible for education adopted:

All three Rules determined the amended environment for classifying the accounting-administrative posts. The amendment made provision for schools to classify the Accountant VII/1 or Accountant VII/2 for accounting tasks and Administrative assistant VIZ VII/1 or Administrative secretary VII/2 for administrative tasks.

The Accountant VII/1 and Administrative assistant VII/1 must have a professional bachelor’s degree or equivalent former educational qualification (level 6, sub-level 6/2 as per KLASIUS-SRV). The Accountant VII/2 or Administrative secretary VII/2 must have a master’s degree, specialisation in higher education professional education (former) or higher university education (former) (level 7 as per KLASIUS-SRV).

In December, the ministry responsible issued a public call for applications for grants to subsidise fees for continuous education of education staff in the academic year 2022/2023. The grants are for subsidising education in the amount of 50 per cent of the programme fee. For this, one earmarked €220,000.

In November, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Act amending the Organisation and Financing of Education Act. See chapter 14.1.

In November, the ministry responsible for education issued a public invitation to apply for the training of education and leadership staff in education to improve competences in digital literacy, sustainable development, and financial literacy. See chapter 14.5.

In October, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Intervention Measures in Education Act. It determined that the ice for students in basic and upper secondary education in the school year 2022/2023 would remain the same as it had been in the school year 2021/2022. It determined also that upper secondary and higher education students would pay the same starting fee for residing in student residence halls in the school year 2022/2023 as it had been set for 3 January 2022 onwards until the end of lessons or studies in the year 2021/2022. By doing so, one wanted to avoid the social distress of students and their families.

In September, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the Rules on promotion to titles of education staff. See chapter 14.1.

In August, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the School competition co-funding Rules. The amendments made provisions among others for the cost of material and equipment required for the implementation of the experimenting part of the competition to fall under the eligible cost of organising and administrating the selection competitions. As by the Rules, the ministry responsible for education, issued in September 2022 the public call for applications for co-funding selection school competitions in the school years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. The target of the public call was cofounding school competitions for basic school students in the field of foreign languages and biology; and in upper secondary schools, in the field of foreign language, technology, computer science and informatics, and history in the school years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. For this, one earmarked €100,000.

In August, the ministry responsible for education issued a draft Rules amending the Outdoor school funding Rules. It specified among other that state budget funds shall be provided for co-funding outdoor school to one generation of basic school students a year or two generations every second year. Before the funds were provided to only one generation per year). With the amendment, the ministry made provisions for schools to be able to reduce the cost of outdoor school. The draft also specified new criteria for state budget funds allocation for co-funding and subsidising outdoor school, and it regulated the payment to education staff to compensate for the imbalanced distribution of working time of teachers imposed with the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia.

In July, the National assembly adopted the Act on reducing imparity and harmful interference of politics and ensuring observance of rule of law. The Act affected the Organisation and Financing of Education Act (Article 46). The latter specified the composition of the council of public kindergartens and basic schools. It will now include three founder representatives, five staff representatives, and three parent representatives, the same as before the 2011 amendment. The council of vocational and technical schools, gimnazije in public residential homes for upper secondary student shall now include three founder representatives, five staff representatives, three parent representatives and two student representatives.

In July, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules on accommodation in residential facilities. It eliminated among other certain administrative barriers to enrolment of extra newcomers in residential homes for upper secondary students. Now, the minister does not have to consent to the enrolment due to higher demand compared to the supply of places for newcomers with the first call for application (before, minister had to consent every single place). It further made provision for the enrolment procedure to start after the enrolment in upper secondary schools ended. In this way, a student actually enrols in the school first and weighs the relevant options for living arrangements. The rules also specifies basic standards of living in a residential homes. This further allows for a clearer differentiation between standard and beyond standard services of the hall.

In July, the National assembly's committee for education, science, sport and youths issued a decision in which it suggested to the ministry responsible for education to use all instruments available to stimulate physical activity during school time (for example during morning and afternoon care, supplementary and remedial lessons in sports, and so forth), and to include in the stimulation teachers as well as students. It suggested also to reintroduce the Healthy lifestyle programme in schools and develop a systemic solution that would lead to better physical activity of learners.

In June, the minister responsible for education adopted the rules specifying the educational qualification of education staff and other staff in education programmes: gimnazija, education programme for residence halls, and basic school. The new rules resulted from the education programme expansions and modernisation that involved the introduction of new optional subjects and a more effective system of learning support to immigrants after they enter the education system. For this, categorisation was required in terms of education staff, and requirements they have to meet. The new rules incorporate education staff according to existing changes of support to children and youth with special educational needs, as well as placement of Slovenian sign language in education.

In June, the ministry responsible for education put in inter-sectoral coordination draft rules on norms and standards in basic school, bilingual basic schools and basic school with Italian medium of instruction, music school, and education programmes for children with special needs.

The amendments among other specified:

More favourable criteria for setting up the new head teacher assistant post
More favourable platform for determining the scope of the counsellor classified post
Reduced normative for school meals’ organisers
New criteria for classification of accountant post
Change in educational requirements for pursuing administrative duties, and possibility of setting up new posts, and
Systematisation of extra lessons of Slovenian or initial lessons of Slovenian for foreign students.

In June, the Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for general education adopted the amended special education programme. It introduced increased autonomy of schools when considering programme flexibility – more options for a complete individual progress –, and implementation recommendations for social and care institution. The recommendations relate to placing children and youth in the centres for training, work and care, and specificity of afternoon pedagogical activities.

In May, the minister responsible for education adopted the Order amending the adapted nine-year basic school programme of lower educational standard. Following the decisions of the Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for general education, it specified curricula for compulsory subjects, namely for: Slovenian, mathematics, learning about environment, natural and social sciences in the second educational cycle, social and natural sciences in the third educational cycle, and optional subjects: computer science, sports, and conception of fine arts. The use of subject-curricula will start in the 2022/2023 school year.

In May, the ministry responsible for education issued the public call for application for creating a collection of e-books for compulsory reading for school libraries. Its purpose is to introduce e-books in school libraries and thereby allow concurrent reading. With it, it will be possible to complement the school library collection with the access to e-books. The goal is to acquire as complete as possible and balanced collection of titles for compulsory reading in e-format, which the applicants are willing to include within the Biblos distribution platform and lend out at the agreed price for one circulation of one e-book from the collection. The call for application and the upgrade of the Biblos distribution platform for lending out e-books for school libraries is a pilot within the Setting up the model of introducing e-books in school libraries project. The other part of the project is the public procuration – Use of Biblos distribution platform for lending out e-books for compulsory school reading.

In April, the Slovenian national assembly adopted the Student Status Act. Among other, it affected the Scholarship Act. Now, students enrolled for the first time in the programmes of short upper secondary vocational education, upper secondary vocational education, upper secondary technical or other professional education, and upper secondary general education – for which they are exercising the right to scholarship – can qualify for the scholarship regardless of their age (before the eligible candidates had to be first enrolled and of up to and including 22 years of age).

In accordance with amendments to the Gimnazija Act and the Vocational Education Act of July 2019 that specified the part-time studies, the minister responsible for education adopted in April this year the Rules on the call for applications and first enrolment in part-time studies of officially recognised upper secondary education programmes. It specified the procedure of consenting to the scope of a call for first enrolment, procedure of enrolment in part-time studies in officially recongised programes of short upper secondary and upper secondary vocational, technical education, gimnazija, and vocational and matura courses in upper secondary schools, public organisations for adult education, and private educational organisations. It specified also the expression the first enrolment, namely it means the first enrolment of a candidate in the part-time studies of a programme at school; so, well defined when a school can count a candidate in the quota of enrolment places consented by the minister. In May, the minister responsible for education adopted the Instructions on how to adapt the part-time upper secondary education. The instructions include provisions applicable to the educational contract, interest activities in vocational and technical education, compulsory optional contents in general education, and active citizenship.

In March, the Slovenian government adopted the Decree on the methods for ensuring rights of persons enjoying temporary protection. It specified among other the rights of persons under temporary protection to enrol in programmes of short upper secondary and upper secondary vocational education, upper secondary technical and general education, and short-cycle higher vocational education. The decision about the enrolment of candidates without any proof of previous educational qualification is with the relevant school that has to follow the recommendations developed for such cases by the National education institute Slovenia. Persons under temporary protection can enrol in education and study programmes also during or in the course of the school or academic year if the school has available places. If candidates apply to enrol in capped programmes, there can be places added to the call for enrolment. Basic school students under temporary protection have the right to free snack, lunch and transportation to and back from school. Upper secondary students have the right to free snack.

In March, the Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for general education adopted the amended education programme for children and youth with emotional and behavioural issues and impediments and recommendation for implementation of the programme. The amendment introduced new approaches to working with SEN children and youth, new forms of support in preventive activities that lead to early detection of issues, continuity of support provided to children, youth and their families, and to the school. Focus being on the holistic treatment of an individual in the form of cooperation of a team of professionals from different fields.

In March, the minister responsible for education adopted the Rules on teacher education student grants. It superseded the previous rules on study grants for employing education staff, namely for regular students in teacher education study programmes. The new rules specified in greater detail the procedure, eligibility and criteria for awarding grants to students in study programmes for educational qualification specified by law for pursuing educational activities of education staff. The rules further specified the purposes and aims of awarding study grants, namely: responding to the long-term priority and employment demands of public educational institutions that provide public service; incentive to study for pedagogical profession, and building up the reputation of a teaching profession.

In January, the minister responsible for education adopted the new Rules on the organization and work methods of commissions for the placement of children with special needs. It specified several processes of placement for preschool children. It was a follow-up consolidation with to the new system law the Act Regulating the Integrated Early Treatment of Preschool Children with Special Needs. The law has been standardising since 2019 the education of preschool children with special educational needs (SEN). The new Rules made provision to omit the implementation of individual elements of the programme for children with behavioural and emotional disorders (placed in the relevant educational institutions) in other educational institutions in the function of additional professional support in overcoming deficits, obstacles and/or disorders. Furthermore, it specified that SEN children could only be placed in institutes for education of SEN children and youth if the professional opinion addressed the disorder for which the institute has been established.

Response to the COVID-19 pandemic

In December, the minister responsible for education adopted the decision to modify the general and vocational matura examination in the school year 2022/2023. It determined modifications of subject examination catalogues, implementation of matura in two consecutive terms, keeping records of electronic mails of general matura candidates, insights in the examination documentation, objection to the general matura results, justified reasons for an additional term for insight in general matura results, return of examination documentation, development of examination slips for oral parts, and responsibilities of supervising teachers.

In November, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the act on urgent measures to contain the spread and mitigate the consequences of communicable COVID-19 disease in the field of health. It determined among others that self-testing of basic school students, upper secondary students and higher education students with test HAG for provision of the education programme. The testing takes place at home. Funds for rapid antigen tests are allocated from the budget of the Republic of Slovenia. Individuals have ten free rapid tests available per month.

In October, the minister responsible for education adopted the Decision amending the Decision on emergency measures in personnel administration required for smooth operations of educational institutions. It extended the option for classification of an additional counsellor post and introduced anew the cooperation of teachers with the staff of the public institute CŠOD (Centre for school and extracurricular activities) in providing educational activities, and part-time and occasional work by students.

In August, before the start of the school year, the minister responsible for education in cooperation with the National institute of public health issued the recommendations for leadership of educational institutions about what steps to take in case of the incidence of COVID-19 spread. The two-phase measures for responding are foreseen:

Phase 1: in case of fast spreading SARS-COV-2 within all groups of citizens that would not involve severe illness that required hospitalisation, the key is to take basic hygienic measures, ventilation, self-testing of the sick, and exclusion from the group, self-protective behaviour, promotion of correct implementation of hygienic measures, in particular, learning the correct etiquette for hand and cough hygiene.
Phase 2: in case of epidemiological situation worsening and fast spreading SARS-COV-2 that would involve severe illness that required hospitalisation, namely in such a substantial share that without public health measures an overstraining of the health system would take place, alongside consistent basic additional measures will apply: periodic self-testing of persons without symptoms, more intensive cleaning/disinfection, and several other measures with which the providers within given circumstances will increase physical distancing and decrease contacts among participants.

There was a consultative group appointed at the National institute of public health to monitor the situation of SART-CoV-2. The group prepared the document of instructions to the educational institutions on how to act in case of suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at the institution in the school year 2022/2023. The instructions apply to all institutions for preschool, basic school and upper secondary education, including residential halls for students with special educational needs and upper secondary students. The document includes detailed steps to take by the leadership.

In May, the Slovenian government adopted the Ordinance repealing the Ordinance on the temporary measures for the prevention and control of infectious disease COVID-19. With it, it cancelled all temporary measures for prevention and control for SARS-CoV-2 infections.

In May 2022, the minister responsible for education adopted the Decision amending the Decision on educational activities in public educational institutions in the school year 2021/2022. With it, the pursuing of educational activities according to the B model ceased to apply in basic and upper secondary schools. Schools will continue to observe the current epidemiological situation and take actions as recommended by the National institute of public health.

In May, the minister responsible for education adopted the Decision on the emergency measures in personnel administration required for smooth operations of educational institution. It defined as an emergency personnel measure the possibility of classifying additional counsellor post in basic schools, basic schools with adapted education programme, and institutes for education of children and youth with special needs for the 2022/2023 school year.

In March, the minister responsible for education adopted the Decision on the examination dates for final-year upper secondary students in the school year 2021/2022. It introduced an additional date for supplementary and resit examination, for establishing if the requirements for taking matura have been met, and for withdrawing the application.

In March, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Ordinance on the temporary measures for the prevention and control of infectious disease COVID-19. It waived the condition for wearing facial coverings for basic school, upper secondary, higher education students and staff for the duration of implementing the education programme. The condition still applies for participants in practical lessons and work-based clinical training.

In February, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the new Ordinance on the temporary measures for the prevention and control of infectious disease COVID-19. It waived the condition of recovered/vaccinated/tested proof in education, as well as doing self-tests in schools both for staff and students.

In January, the minister responsible for education adopted Decision on winter term examination board composition 2021/2022 school year. It specified the amendment to the oral exam boards in upper secondary schools in the 2021/2022 school year. The school exam board could now not include additional member alongside the president and examiner. The examiner could in exceptional circumstances and because of quarantine or self-isolation participate in examination board online not necessarily face-to-face.

In January, the minister responsible for education adopted the Decision on measures for uninterrupted educational activities in basic schools in the school year 2021/2022. It specified the assessment of knowledge in basic schools, basic schools with adapted programme and educational institutes for children and youth with special educational needs until the end of the 2021/2022 school year. Among other, it specified lesser number of marks required for individual subjects and that marks should not be obtained with written exams mainly. It was premise, that the knowledge of students in all subjects should be marked throughout the school year. Students, who because of absence in the first marking period had not received a single mark, could receive missing marks until the end of lessons in the 2021/2022 school year.

2021

Modsernisation of basic and upper secondary general education (gimnazije)

The Government of the Republic of Slovenian adopted in April 2021 the Recovery and resilliation plan (sl). The Council of EU approved it end of July 2021. It includes the process initiated in February, namely the process of modernisation of education programmes and modernisation of the kindergarten curriculum.

The Ministry responsible for education started in February 2021 the multi-year modernisation of education programmes (sl). By the decision of the Minister, the National education institute Slovenia has to develop background material for the modernisation of education programmes in basic and upper secondary general education, background material for modernisation of knowledge catalogues for general education subjects in upper secondary vocation and technical education, and short upper secondary vocational education, as well as background material for modernisation of the Kindergarten Curriculum.

The Institute has to relate the background material to the current Analysis of subject-curricula in basic school and upper secondary general education, the findings of the pilots carried out and development projects and activities, as well as concepts developed in parallel.

The process of developing the background material has to comply with the strategic goals and policies of the national recovery plan that seeks to improve, in particular, the digital competences and sustainable development competences in basic and upper secondary general education, as well as other important strategic development documents of the Republic of Slovenia.

Other policy developments

In December 2021, the ministry responsible for education consulted the public on the Rules on additional professional and physical assistance for children with special needs. It established the right to an interpreter in Slovenian sign language for deaf and deafblind learners if it was so stated in their the placement order.

In December 2021, the National Assembly adopted the Act amending the Organisation and Financing of Education Act. The amendment related to the objectives in education, personal data processing for setting up and operations of the secured national information system for administering schools and school documentation of learners, as well as to the composition of councils of schools and kindergartens.

The law laid down additional objectives of education: education with the emphasis on the Slovenian culture and European values, and fostering curiosity, inquisitive spirit, imagination and intuitions, as well as developing independent thinking. It set up a single national information system of the highest standard of data protection and included among other: enrolment in kindergarten, basic school and upper secondary school, central civil register, mark book, daybook, school’s annual work plan, national school calendar, agreement on school meals, decision, notifications, and school certificates.

The councils of kindergarten and school will now include three representatives of a founder, three representatives of staff (five before) and three representatives of parents; in upper secondary school, two representatives of parents (three before) and on representative of students (two before).

In November 2021, the minister adopted:

The amendments were made as follow-up to the amendments of upper secondary education programmes “aktivno državljanstvo” (active citizenship) and “Interdisciplinarni tematski sklop” (interdisciplinary theme set). Teachers of active citizenship could have their teaching load decreased proportionally. Schools that provide the interdisciplinary theme set could form additional groups of the interdisciplinary set. By the norm that applied to basic schools, one introduced a new job post for cooks and/or dietary cooks in the upper secondary schools, namely the need for preparing meals according to the medically indicated diets (allergies, hypersensitivity to food, metabolism disorders, and other chronic illnesses) has been ever-present. The amendments to the rules introduced certain changes in educational requirements for employing cooks and technical staff.

In October 2021, the ministry responsible for education adopted the Action plan to work out the proposal for the installation of the Slovenian sign language in the system of preschool education, basic school education and upper secondary education in the period 2021–2024. It was developed by the working group consisted of representatives of professional community (institutes that provide education programmes adapted to deaf and hard of hearing learners, higher education institution), interest groups, National education institute, and ministry responsible for education. The aim is to address the individual aspects of education of deaf and hard of hearing learners comprehensively: the contents of the education programmes as well as mechanisms necessary to support the provision. The action plan includes four sets of activities:

Analysis of the situation and mechanisms of on-going monitoring;
Duties and responsibilities related to education programmes for deaf and hard of hearing learners;
Promotion of learning and teaching of Slovenian sign language;
Planning, coordinating and monitoring of activities.

Under each individual set, it specified the objectives and expected outcomes, as well as type of foreseen activities including indicators, operators, dates or timeframe and funds. Operators have started the activities already in 2021 and 2022. There has been a study ongoing on evaluation of the current model of education for deaf learners. The capturing of data on deaf and hard of hearing basic school and upper secondary students has been improved; the existing and new programmes of training for education staff have been carried out. For more information read the report by the working group.

In October 2021, the National Assembly adopted the Act amending the Organisation and financing of education Act. The amendments related to operations and status of school funds. School funds could now be allocated for participation of children, basic school and upper secondary students from socially less advantaged backgrounds in activities relevant to the provision of an officially recognised programme. These activities could not be covered in full with public funds if this would stand for equal opportunities. The beneficiary for up to 0.3 % of donations by individual residents (part dedicated under annual personal income tax) could be the school fund and/or kindergarten fund.

In September 2021, the minister responsible for education issued a public invitation to submit applications for co-funding of selective and interest school competitions in the 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 school years. Because of leftover funds, it issued a second invitation in January 2022. In both invitations, there have been 20 interest competitions and 19 selection competitions (11 for basic schools and 8 for upper secondary schools) selected.

The ministry responsible for infrastructure modernised according to the Act amending the Road transport Act (sl) as of 1 September 2021 the system of subsidised tickets for upper secondary and higher education students, as well adult education learners. It introduced the subsidised ticket for integrated public passenger transport. The ticket at a common price of €25 for one month and/or €200 for the whole year shall allow students to travel unlimitedly on the public transport intercity routes in Slovenia. That means between not only the place of residence and place of education, but on routes all over the country.

In July, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the amendment to the Organisation and Financing of Education Act (en). The amendment introduces a 100 percent funding of the compulsory programme and 85 percent funding of the extended programme, namely supplementary lessons, after-school classes, morning care, and interest activities, in the private basic schools. It laid down eligibility criteria for public funding. Providers have to be on the relevant register, enrolment requirements have to allow access to basic school and upper secondary students without discrimination on the ground of nationality, race, gender, language, religion, political and other affiliation, birth, education, social status, disability or any other personal circumstance. Schools have to have at least 80 percent of teachers needed to implement the programme on staff.

The Minister responsible for education adopted in July 2021 the Rules amending the Rules on the matura for candidates with special needs (sl). The National committee for matura, matura testing committees for mathematics, and representatives of the association Društvo Bravo reached an agreement on the use of a simple calculator while taking the math exam – examination sheet 1 in general matura. Such aid is otherwise not allowed during the exam according to the Subject catalogue for general matura mathematics 2021.

Rules amending the Rules on the organisation and reimbursement of transportation costs for children and young people with special needs (sl) introduced amendments to provision of transportation of disabled children. In the past, head teachers of upper secondary schools had difficulties in finding the transporter with an adapted vehicle suitable for the transportation of students with moderate to severe physical disability. The physical disability of certain students is such that the students can move from a wheelchair into a vehicle on their own despite their disability in circumstances of domestic or organised transport and vice versa. If parents can drive a student in this way than there is no need to a different arrangement in school.

In July 2021, the Ministry responsible for education consulted the public on the following rules and relevant preambles to amendments:

Rules on norms and standards of implanting education programmes and the education programme for students with emotional and behavioural disorders in upper secondary education (sl)
Rules on norms and standards in upper secondary schools with Italian medium of instruction (sl)
Rules on norms and standards in the bilingual upper secondary school (sl), and
Rules amending the Rules on methods for funding upper secondary education programmes (sl).

The majority of proposed amendments related to increasing the counselling staff, librarian, and organiser of practical training at work, as well as accounting, administrative and technical staff. The draft rules introduce a new job post of a cook or dietary cook in upper secondary schools, as well.

In June 2021, the Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia signed with the Government of the Republic of Slovenian the Annex to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia (Annex to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia). It amended and/or stipulated the time lag for the salary, namely now it will be paid out on the day 10 of the relevant month at the latest. Further, it amended the commuting, meal and holiday allowances, amount of daily and off-site allowances, allowance per kilometre covered by a personal vehicle for work, holiday allowance, allowance for meals, compensation for upper secondary and higher education students in compulsory practical training, and threshold for acquiring the right to solidary help for members of the representative union. The amount of the allowance for meals will be adjusted twice a year, the amount of the separation allowance, daily allowance for business travels within the country, long-service bonuses and solidarity help once a year, and for the years of service taken into account when acquiring the right to long-service bonus one shall also take into account years of service at concessionaires that pursue activities in the public service network.

In March 2021, the Minister responsible for education adopted

Rules amending the rules on norms and standards of implementing the basic school programme (sl)
Rules on norms and standards of implementing the education programmes for SEN children (sl), and
Rules on norms and standards of implementing the education programme in bilingual basic schools and basic schools with Italian medium of instruction (sl). The latter was further amended in July 2021.

The amendments will started with the school year 2021/2022.

The amendments allow for a classification of further job posts for computer-organiser of information activities, so basic schools will be able to assure quality and efficient realisation of goals in the circumstances of distance learning, as well. Basic schools can now classify and employ Roma assistants who have been since over 10 years an important link among Roma children, their parents and education staff within the educational institutions. Basic schools and institutes that provide adapted and/or special education programme for SEN children can now the same as mainstream schools classify a job post for an assistant staff to support the Roma students.

The rules introduced a requirement of a higher level of educational qualification for accountants. They now have to have at least a first cycle higher education qualification or equivalent. The rules on norms in bilingual basic schools and basic schools with Italian medium of instruction on the other hand lower the standard for classifying an accountant.

The rules introduced, also, a new standard for a cook preparing meals in a basic school as it includes the preparation of medically indicated foods prescribed by a doctor. Now, schools can employ cooks on different job posts (cook IV, dietary cook IV, cook V and dietary cook V) according to the level of vocational and/or technical educational qualification and competences in preparing diet foods.

In May 2021, the Ministry responsible for education adopted the Funding of school competitions Rules (sl). The competent Ministry consulted other ministries and the public on the new Rules in February 2021. It specifies the requirements, selection procedure, funding, as well as eligible costs for cofunding school knowledge competitions and school talent and skills competitions, as well as competitions aimed to popularise knowledge in basic and upper secondary education. The Rules further specify the method for limiting the number of golden and silver award certificates, selection procedure, as well as eligible costs of international competitions organised in the Republic of Slovenia.

In March 2021, the Minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the Basic school documentation Rules (sl) after it consulted other ministeries on it in February 2021. It relates to the coordination of the Act on the Intervention for Children and Youth with Emotional and Behavioural disorders in Education. A student’s personal portfolio includes the report of the mobile team, other relevant reports, as well as diagnostics. This portfolio has to accompany the student in case the students transfers to another school. In this way, one secures the continuity of support and understanding of the child’s difficulties.

In March 2021, the Minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the Upper secondary school calendar Rules (sl). It will apply from the school year 2021/2022. It introduces some changes to dates (exams and end of school), does away with mismatch with the relevant laws on annual work plan. The names of statistical regions will be updated and start dates for individual holidays amended, that is no-school days (public holidays). It also does away with the mismatch with the Upper secondary school documentation

In January 2021, the Minister responsible for education approved the amendments:
- Rules on norms of implementing education programmes and education programme for students with emotional and behavioural disorders in upper secondary education (sl),
- Rules amending the Rules on norms and standards in upper secondary schools with Italian medium of instruction (sl)
- Rules amending the Rules on norms and standards in the bilingual upper secondary school (sl).

The amendments allow for eventual extra reduction in instruction time in view of the organisation to date for a teacher who is responsible to organise information activities and has proper competences.

In January 2021, one published the Rules on the process and criteria for the award of titles to education staff in the adapted programme for preschool education children and the special education programme for SEN children and youth in social welfare institutions (sl). The Minister responsible for education passed it. It specifies the procedure and requirements for the award of the relevant education staff title. The Rules gave the staff in social welfare institutions now can be promoted to titles the same as staff in mainstream education.

Response to the COVID-19 pandemic

In December 2021, the National Assembly adopted the Act on Additional Measures to Stop Spreading and Mitigate, Control, Recover and Eliminate the Consequences of COVID-19. It specified that in case of the pandemic situation becoming worse, the decision to revert to distant learning for a specific time should be the decision of a head-teacher in consultation with the ministry responsible for education and the National institute of public health. An educational institution would have the opportunity to enter into agreement of employment for urgent duties and for a fixed term without the requirement to made a public announcement about the vacancy, until 31 August 2022.

In December 2021, the ministry responsible for education adopted the General and vocational Matura adjustment in the school year 2021/2022 Decision. It specified the amendment to the subject examination catalogues, implementation of matura in two consecutive terms, keeping record of e-mails of general matura candidates, insight in the examination documentation, appeal, justified reasons for an additional date for insight in general matura, return of examination documentation, nomination and composition of the school examination board, terms, development of test sheets for oral exams, organisation and notification of candidates in written exams, dates of oral exams and written exams, preparation of candidates for written exams, and implementation of oral exams.

In October 2021, the minister responsible for education adopted Decision on the emergency measures in personnel administration required for smooth operations of educational institutions. It specified that in the 2021/2022 school year, the workload of teachers in the centre for school and extracurricular activities (Center šolskih in obšolskih dejavnosti – CŠOD) could be carried out by staff of CŠOD if they fulfil the requirements for education staff. Students in the second cycle study programme for teachers could cooperate under the supervision of a mentor in an educational institution on temporary or occasional basis. This would count for work experience required for them to sign up for a professional examination. In December, the decision was amended to allow employment of counselling staff in basic school, basic schools with an adapted programme or educational institutes for children and youth with special educational needs.

In October 2021, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on the method of meeting the condition of morbidity, vaccination and testing to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus. The amendment specified among other that the frequency of screening should be increased for all staff to every 48 hours. Additionally, the amendments introduced self-testing for all students of basic school, upper secondary schools and tertiary education, and also for participating in sports programmes, sports recreational activities and extracurricular activities.

In September 2021, the ministry responsible for education adopted the Decision on the emergency measures in personnel administration required for smooth operations of educational institutions. The decision made provision for educational institutions for children and youth with special educational needs in the 2021/2022 school year to provide, if all other possibilities to enter into employment agreement have been exploited, an interpreter of the Slovenian sign language for deaf and hard of hearing students who had been placed in programmes for children with special educational needs.

The Ordinance on the approach to meeting the recovered-vaccinated-tested requirements to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (sl) came into force on September 6. It imposed self-testing on the students in grades 7, 8 and 9 and upper secondary students, adult education learners, and higher education students. Self-testing is imposed on children and young people enrolled in institutions for education and training for SEN children (institutions for children with emotional and behavioural disorders), and students at third to sixth level of special education programmes unless objective reasons exist against it. Basic school and upper secondary students, adult education learners and higher education students self-test with antigen testing kits at one-week intervals. They receive free test kits at the pharmacist’s. The antigen testing kits shall be state funded.

The ordinance imposed on education staff and other staff at all levels of education the recovered-vaccinated-tested requirement. The results of antigen self-testing kits taken at one-week intervals apply, as well. Employers in education provide funds for self-testing and specify the time and place of self-testing, it can be at home or at work. Employers can according to the ordinance act against the employees who do not meet the RVT requirement, namely according to the rules on occupational health and safety, rules on employment relations, and respective collective agreements. Persons and employees who fail to meet the RVT requirement shall not be allowed to used services and participate or be present during the provision of the service.

By the Decision on educational activities in public educational institutions in the school year 2021/2022 (sl) the new school year started in basic schools and upper secondary schools according to the model B according to the models and recommendations in circumstance of COVID-19 infectious disease (sl). Educational institutions have to account for the current epidemiological situation and pursue the educational activities as recommended by National institute of public health.

By the Distance teaching decision (sl) the distance teaching and learning in basic and upper secondary schools will take place if:
Temporary restriction or prohibition of crowding in educational institutions, organisation of educational activities adjusted to epidemiological restrictions (alternate lessons etc.), and the competent inspectorate decides that the institution does not meet the defined restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19 or quarantining of individual classes.

In March and April 2021, the Minister responsible for education adopted the Decision on the general and vocational matura adjustment in the school year 2020/2021 (sl). It specified adjustments to the subject examination catalogues, assessment, and implementation of matura in two consecutive exam terms, keeping records of electronic addresses of general matura candidates, access to examination documentation, complaint, return of examination documentation, nomination and membership of school examination committee, dates, development of oral exam sheets, arranging and informing candidates of written exams, dates of oral exams and presentations, duties and responsibilities of the invigilating teachers, arrangement of the examination room, preparing candidates for the oral exam, oral exam execution, and execution of the exam in the fourth subject of the vocational matura.

On 1 April 2021, the deteriorated epidemiological situation and by the relevant ordinance of the Government (sl) all basic and upper secondary schools closed. They welcomed back basic schoolchildren of all classes and upper secondary students in final years (as to the 4- or 3-year programme). Other upper secondary students returned to school according to the hybrid model: half of classes alternate at one-week intervals between learning in school and distance learning. On 10 May 2021, all upper secondary students returned to schools. Hybrid learning was discontinued.

On 8 March 2021 and in accordance with the Ordinance on the temporary prohibition of assembly in educational institutions and universities (sl), the upper secondary schools opened their doors to the remaining students still taking distance lessons. The students returned to school to sit their lessons according to the adapted model C. This means that students alternatively go to school for one week and stay at home and take distance lessons the next. In this way, only half of students or classes are present at school. Present at all time at school for all lessons are final-year uppers secondary students and all students in short upper secondary vocational education.

On 15 February 2021, all basic schools reopened their doors for students of all grades. Final-year students in upper secondary education and all in short upper secondary vocational education, too, returned to school. According to the Ordinance on the temporary prohibition of assembly in educational institutions and universities (sl) as of February 2021, the staff of educational institutions have to get weekly rapid SARS-CoV-2 tests.

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Slovenia

14.2National reforms in school education

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2024

Modernisation of basic and upper secondary general education (gimnazije)

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2023

Modernisation of basic and upper secondary general education (gimnazije)

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2022

Modernisation of basic school and gimnazija education

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2021

Modsernisation of basic and upper secondary general education (gimnazije)

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