Education in Slovenia
In Slovenia, education begins with preschool education. Children from the age of 1 and until they go to school enroll in kindergartens, however, enrolment is not obligatory.
The obligatory nine-year elementary school is divided into three-year cycles. Children enrol in nine-year elementary school when they reach the age of 6.
98 % of the population between ages 15 and 19 participate in secondary education, although it is not mandatory. Secondary education is divided into technical and vocational education (secondary technical and professional, secondary vocational, vocational technical, and short-term vocational), and general secondary education (general and technical “gimnazijas”).
Post-secondary vocational education forms a part of tertiary education. It is defined as short-term higher education, and the study programmes are extremely practice-oriented.
Higher education is divided into three levels. The first level includes vocational higher education study programmes and university study programmes, the second level includes Master’s study programmes and the third level incorporates the Doctoral study programmes. Until the amendments to the Higher Education Act in 2004, higher education had two levels, the undergraduate and the postgraduate level (pre-Bologna programmes). Higher education falls within the competence of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.
Adults acquire education in special educational programmes for adults or in programmes applicable for youth that are being carried out in public educational establishments for adults, public schools and private establishments for adult education.
Slovenia has two ministries dealing with education: Ministry of Education and Sport and Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.
The Ministry of Education and Sport is in charge of education of pre-school children, compulsory basic education, upper secondary education (general, vocational and technical), tertiary education, adult education, music schools, and sport.
National system overview on education systems in Europe (2011)
Some basic figures
Slovene Education System: Yesterday, Today, Tomorow (2008)
Slovene Education System in Numbers (2008)