Gov't: Pre-school Education to Be Mandatory from Age of Four, Later Even Three

Bratislava, 22 August (TASR) - Pre-school education should be mandatory for all four-year-old children as of September 2027, and a year later, it should also be compulsory from the age of three, according to an amendment to the Education Act approved by the government at its session on Friday. At the same time, parents will have the opportunity to decide on the form of home education for their child if they have the required education level. "The proposal respects the right of parents to decide whether their four- or three-year-old child will undergo compulsory pre-school education in the form of individual education or whether they will use the option of regular daily attendance on weekdays for at least three hours a day," reads the ministry's proposal. Under this home education model, there would be no obligation to enrol a child in a nursery school; only to notify the respective municipality of home education. However, if it is shown that the child's knowledge and skills haven't developed in line with the standards set by the Education Ministry, parents will be obliged to enrol their child in a nursery school within 15 days of the date of the assessment. The change will apply to all children with permanent residence in Slovakia. ko/df