The beginning of education on the territory of Slovakia stretches back to the 9th century, when in 863 the Slavonic missionaries, the brothers Constantine (later called Cyril) and Methodius, came to our territory. Cyril created the first Slavonic alphabet, called Glagolitic script, which became the basis for spreading education on the territory of Great Moravia. Both of these brothers established the first schools, by which they laid the foundations for future education on our territory. This was gradually altered and formed according to the current social-cultural changes, until it finally came to the form we know today.
In the Slovak Republic the school system is made up of three levels of schools: primary, secondary and tertiary. The structure of the education system is set by laws and the details of its functioning in the individual components are organized by notice of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic.
Education in Slovakia is currently divided into three levels, which are organized according to the age of the child or student. Pre-preparatory education consists of nursery schools, which are attended by children still of preschool age from 3 to 6 years and serves more as preparation for entry to primary school, which is the first degree of education in Slovakia. According to the most recent measurement there were 157,956 children registered in nursery schools. Primary schools are attended by pupils aged 6 to 15 years, in unique cases only to 10 years, if they continue further at an eight-year grammar school. Primary school has two levels. The first level lasts 4 years (1st – 4th grade), and the second level lasts 5 years (5th – 9th grade). You will find primary schools evenly distributed throughout all of Slovakia. Like nursery schools, however, primary schools are currently affected by a lack of pupils, which is caused by the low birth-rate in Slovakia, but also the influence of other factors. According to the most recent statistical data, 419,630 pupils currently study at primary schools, 397,369 of whom are at state primary schools, 6,052 at private schools and 23,997 at church schools.
After primary school students select a secondary school. They may choose either a secondary vocational school, a focused secondary school or a grammar school. At secondary vocational schools students may study apprentice professions, such as, for example, masonry, woodcarving, or others, but they may also learn in the fields of services, such as for becoming a baker, a waiter, or a hairdresser. Study at secondary vocational schools is of varying length, but it ranges from two to four years. Approximately 146,737 pupils attend secondary vocational schools in all of Slovakia. Secondary schools may likewise specialize in a specific field. Therefore, in Slovakia there are secondary sports schools, electrotechnology schools, teacher’s schools and many others. Grammar schools offer students a general education and mainly serve as preparation for university study. Study at secondary schools and grammar schools lasts four or five years. In the case of an eight-year grammar school the study lasts eight years (but at the same study at primary school is shorter). At present approximately 21,658 pupils study at eight-year grammar schools and 74,384 students at four-year grammar schools (in daily and external forms).
The education system in Slovakia offers a university education of the first, second and third degree. Education of the first degree (Bc. – bachelor’s degree) lasts 3 years and is completed by taking a state exam and defending a bachelor’s thesis. After graduating a three-year study, a student has the opportunity to continue for a master’s or engineer’s degree, which last 2 years. After taking a state exam and defending a thesis, the student obtains university education of the second degree. Some universities have a faculty with a length of study of 6 years (for example, medical faculties, where those successfully completing their studies are awarded the title MUDr.). At graduation ceremonies upon completion of their study graduates at the majority of faculties are awarded the title of master (Mgr.) or engineer (Ing.), according to the area they studied. The third degree of university study in Slovakia is doctoral study. A lot fewer students complete this study, and after successful completion the graduate is awarded the scholarly title of PhD. The number of university students according to the most recent statistics approached 160 thousand.
In Slovakia we divide universities into four groups. We know public universities, state universities, private universities and foreign universities. Public universities are accessible for each student and are not paid for. Comenius University in Bratislava, the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, the Technical University in Košice and Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice are among the best universities not only in Slovakia but also in Europe. The best evaluated departments in Slovakia in terms of university education and application after completing studies are those focused on technical fields and economics.
Study in Slovakia for foreigners
The children of foreigners with residence granted in Slovakia, asylum seekers and Slovaks living abroad have equal conditions for study as citizens of the Slovak Republic. This means that at state (not private and church) schools they may study free of charge and use basic textbooks at no cost. For removing language barriers at primary and secondary schools basic and advanced language courses are organized for foreigners at a state language school. School attendance is compulsory in Slovakia for ten years and lasts at the latest to the end of the school year in which the pupil reaches 16 years of age.
The Constitution of the Slovak Republic also recognizes for foreigners, among others, rights related to education. According to Article 33 of the Constitution membership to a national minority or ethnic group cannot be prejudicial to anyone. This principle is also reflected in the legal provisions arranging education and applies in regard to access to education. In connection to Article 34 citizens forming national minorities or ethnic groups in the Slovak Republic are guaranteed all-around development, especially the right to develop their own culture commonly with other members of a national minority or ethnic group, the right to disseminate and receive information in their native language, to associate in national associations and to establish and maintain educational and cultural institutions. In addition, citizens belonging to national minorities or ethnic groups are guaranteed, under the conditions provisioned by the law, the right of acquisition of the state language and the right to education in their own language.
Science and research in Slovakia
Science and research are in Slovakia are connected especially with state financed universities, professional institutions and the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV). At its several workplaces SAV develops scientific-research activities and brings together the most recognized scientific workers.
Organization of the Slovak Academy of Sciences resolves various types of scientific and other projects through the Slovak Grant Agency, European programmes and other forms of cooperation. SAV associates several internationally recognized workplaces, such as the Economic Institute, the Institute of Experimental Physics, or the Institute of World Literature. It cooperates on 48 international projects and 54 national projects. SAV represents the giant potential of economic, technological, social and secure development of Slovakia. In the interest of this it carries out cooperation with non-academic subjects in the public and private spheres and offers them scientific information for solving problems and developmental tasks.
The Slovak Academy of Sciences also cooperates in many directions with university scientific researchers and shares in research; thus it also helps in a significant way regarding the improvement of scientific activities at universities. Its share is equally irreplaceable in teaching students at universities, especially scientific preparation of doctoral students and experts on many key or highly specialized fields not represented at universities.
The private sector thus far has only worked in the spheres of science and research to a limited measure. Technical fields in particular generally work on a level of quality comparable with the best in the world. This fact is also highlighted by the number of scientific articles presented in top publications, where Slovakia has its best performances in the fields of engineering and technology.
Since 2002 the share of expenditures from GDP earmarked for research and science has grown from 0.56% to 1.18% in 2015. In 2016 expenditures for research and development achieved a sum of 927.3 million €, 629.3 million € of which was financed from public resources and 298 million € from private resources. A total of 28,752 employees work in the research and development sector, and these include researchers, technicians and equivalent personnel and assistant personnel.
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