The year 2026 will be a breakthrough for education. Slovakia is starting with the implementation of the biggest education reform in the last 20 years. Education Minister Tomáš Drucker (Hlas-SD) informed about this at Wednesday’s press conference. Together with state secretaries Róbert Zsember, Ján Hrinka and Ján Krišand, as well as the plenipotentiary of the minister for regional education Slavomír Partil, they also presented the department’s priorities.
- In 2026, Slovakia will start implementing the largest education reform in 20 years.
- The reform introduces equal chances for children starting from pre-primary education.
- Changes are planned at secondary and higher schools, including a two-level graduation.
- Safety, mental health protection and teacher administration will be reduced.
- Digital transformation of education and support of strategic departments will also be a priority.
The education reform in Slovakia includes a complex set of laws approved by the government and the National Council of the Slovak Republic last year. “It is intended for our children to have a better chance for education, for a better future, for the Slovak economy to prosper. It addresses all areas – from early childhood, from the so-called pre-primary education to attending kindergartens, primary, secondary schools, and higher education, and these things are not enough to be described somewhere in the laws, but they must be implemented.” said the minister.
The basic pillar of the reform is the same chance for every child from an early age. The gradual expansion of compulsory pre-primary education is intended to help reduce inequalities even before entering primary school and at the same time guarantee a real right to a place in kindergarten. The minister also considers the introduction of public school districts and the institute of a public provider to be an important change.
The reform modernizes education at secondary and higher schools. Changes are being prepared for secondary schools, including a mandatory two-level graduation from 2027 and the strengthening of vocational education through centers of excellence. Universities are waiting for a modern legislative framework with less administrative burden, mandatory doctoral schools, greater flexibility for students and a stronger connection between studies and practice.
Special attention is directed to safety in schools. The reform brings new tools to solve the shortage of teachers through the new category “candidate teacher”acceleration of the certification process and, for the first time in history, systemic protection of the mental health of teachers and students directly in the law. The changes also include strengthening their protection against attacks, coercion and defamation.
The goal of the reform is also less bureaucracy and the transition to a digital state. The unified e-Application platform and automated data exchange should eliminate paperwork and free up time for teachers to work with students. “I realize that such changes raise questions. That’s why we have a clear timetable and sufficient transition periods so that both schools and founders can adapt.” assured the minister.
In addition to the reform itself, the department has several specific priorities in 2026. Neven more fundamental is the implementation of the curricular reform in all elementary schools and at the same time the preparation of a proposal for changes for secondary schools so that changes are reflected in what children actually learn, and that the reform makes sense in life, not just on paper.
Priorities also include safety and prevention, the preparation of a law on the protection of youth against radicalization and extremism, a national strategy for supporting talents, and the systematic use of artificial intelligence in education. The goal is for artificial intelligence to help reduce administration, support customized learning, and at the same time not create new inequalities.
An important topic will also be the optimization of the network of elementary schools with the setting of a sustainable network and high-quality accessibility, which the department will work on in cooperation with partners according to the memorandum. Another priority is the preparation of the methodology for the creation of school districts, the support of school clusters and the improvement of the accessibility of education, including the vision and financing of school buses.
The resort at the same time will focus on supporting strategic and deficient fields, continue desegregation and rediagnosis projects, support community education and strengthen school management based on data through projects like EduRadar. In 2026, the department will also focus on data policy and IT support for education. Revision of data collection and use, development of e-Applications, passportization of school buildings and digitization of processes should bring better quality data and less administration for schools. All verified information about the reform is available on the new web portal reforma.iedu.sk.
