On Thursday, June 5, 2025, MEPs approved an amendment to the Education Act, which defines new rules of justifying the absence of pupils. The aim is to stop the abuse of the system, to protect pupils’ right to quality education and at the same time not to complicate the lives of parents who approach children responsibly. The new rules will come into effect from September 2025.
After the Covid19 pandemic, compared to the period before it, the number of children’s absences increased by 30 percent. “This is a catastrophic number. We had to respond to it by tightening the rules. Children have no chance of learning if they do not go to school. We will prevent many cases of premature ending school and increase children’s chances to complete the study and work on the labor market,” The Minister of Education Tomáš Drucker said.
Setting up the clear rules of justifying schooling is intended to stop abuse of justification, protect the right of pupils to education and at the same time not complicate the lives of parents who approach children responsibly. And without unnecessary administrative burden for pediatricians.
The new system will be divided into two modes. The stricter regime will only concern a fraction of schools, where there are problems with attendance. Parents will continue to have the opportunity to justify elementary school pupils for a maximum of 5 consecutive days, but at most 15 days in the six -year. After exceeding this limit, a doctor will be required.
A looser regime will be able to apply schools that do not exceed the specified reference value of the missed hours during the school year, which will be determined by the Ministry of Education. At the same time, it will remain in the hands of schools Possibility to voluntarily apply a stricter mode, If they consider it necessary to better ensure the fulfillment of compulsory school and pre -primary attendance. TASR informed the head of the Communication Department of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth (MŠVVAM) SR Jana Vavřinková on Wednesday.
