Education System

School education:

Basic education lasts for nine years and is compulsory. It is divided into two stages of four and five years respectively. It usually starts in the age of 6.

 

Secondary education is provided by the following types of schools:

1.Gymnasium: Provides general secondary education and prepares for further study at universities and other higher education institutions.

2.Specialized Secondary School: Prepares students for vocational education and for study at higher education institutions.

3.Conservatories: Conservatories are a special type of professional school that provides courses in such fields as Singing, Music, Dancing and Dramatic Arts.

4.Vocational Secondary School: Prepares students for occupations requiring higher level vocational education and a School Leaving Certificate. Students may continue their studies at higher education institutions. 5.Apprentice Training Centres: Prepare school-leavers for professional activities.

 

Higher education:

Higher education institutions are legal entities. They include:

• public higher education institutions,
• state higher education institutions,
• private higher education institutions.

Higher education institutions will provide higher education within the framework of accredited study programmes. The study programmes will be at three levels. They may join the first two levels of higher education into a single whole.

The first level is the Bachelor study programme.

The study programmes of the second level and those of the first two levels of higher education joined into a single whole are:

• Master study programmes,
• Engineer study programmes,
• Doctoral study programmes.

The study programme of the third level is the PHD study programme and specialized training in medicine.

According to Law No 131/2002 of 21 February on Higher Education and Changes and Supplements to Some Laws, they provide higher education at three levels. The first level leads to the degree of Bakalár; the second level, the complete higher education, leads to the academic degrees of Magister, Inžinier, Doktor Mediciny, Doktor všeobecnej medicíny, Doktor zubného lekárstva, Doktor Veterinárskej mediciny; and the third level leads to the Doctorate/PhD.

Last modified: 2011-05-26