2020 is the year of preparation for the introduction of compulsory pre-primary education into practice.  This measure aims to give the opportunity for every child to have the same “starting point” before the compulsory school attendance at primary school.  In paralell pre-primary education was significantly affected by COVID19 and kindergarten teachers had to adapt methodologies.

As of 1st January 2021, pre-primary education will be compulsory for every child who has reached the age of 5 by 31st August (applicable for subsequent years preceding the reference year of entrance to  primary school).  

Children can complete pre-primary education at kindergartens listed in the network of schools and school facilities of the Slovak Republic, regardless of the founder; that is in the institutionalised form or individual form (pre-primary education equivalent to the institutionalised form).

Pre-primary education was significantly affected by COVID-19 pandemics. Due to confinement measures imposed, attendance was suspended from 16th March to 31st May 2020.  During this time; kindergarten teachers worked remotely from home, using the available digital platforms, in particular the portal “Učíme na diaľku” (SK) (“We teach remotely”).  This portal offers the appropriate links to various teaching resources, but other dedicated teaching resources created directly by the schools were also used.

Kindergarten teachers methodology for remote classes

-    preparing methodological materials according to their headteachers’ instructions;

-    carrying out tasks from projects which kindergartens participated in and create new projects to be used in the future;

-    creating sets of assignments and activities for children for the development of specific key competences;

-    creating electronic school magazines as a tool for maintaining contact with the family;

-    preparing tools and processed documents for school‘s self-evaluation and/or  educational programmes,

-    regularly informing parents on the current events and guidelines of the Ministry of Education and the founders;

-    working with children within Facebook closed groups and/or using other formats such:

    • studying educational materials created within projects supported by EU and use them for suggestions for activities for children;

    • sending parents weblinks to quality content websites and activities appropriate for children of pre-school age;

    • creating and sent parents worksheets incorporating activities thematically linked to the content of education found in school educational programmes;

     • using worksheets published on several Facebook groups, mainly on Facebook group “Učiteľky materskej školy” (SK) (Kindergarten teachers);

    • directingand advising parents on suitable television programmes;

    • providing parents with worksheets normally use in kindergartens;

    • recommending parents suitable games and songs for development of children’s communication skills;     

    • developing and strengthening graphomotor skills and practicing the correct scissor cutting technique;

    • communicating with parents and children through video calls;

    • addressing the current educational challenges and problems.

On 1st February 2020, the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic launched the Central storage for digital educational content „Viki“ (SK) as a part of the support of interactive education at kindergartens, primary and secondary  schools. The site currently contains publicly accessible educational content for kindergartens (in HU and EN versions); content for primary schools on sciences such as mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics; financial literacy; environmental education; content for secondary schools from the area of electric technology, among other themes. This site is fully used by kindergarten teachers.

These methodologies carried out at kindergartens level were very similar to the ones applied to primary education, however to be noted that online education has been more demanding for kindergarten teachers mainly due to the fact that children of pre-school age cannot read.  Therefore, kindergarten teachers have been mostly focusing on communicating with parents.

Source: Eurydice Unit Slovakia