Compulsory education may extend to twelve years

Compulsory education in Slovakia should increase from ten to twelve years, suggested the Education Ministry. According to the new rules proposed as part of the National Programme of Education and Training in the Slovak Republic, children should start participating in compulsory education from the age of five and finish when seventeen years old. A five year old would attend a pre-primary program at least one year in length. "This measure would create opportunity for optimal development of children, who are more mature nowadays than in the past, however, they suffer from specific problems," reads the report of the Ministry. A division of the first and second degree of education at primary schools should also be changed, with the fifth year being moved to the "first degree". The proposed measures would also influence the evaluation system of the students. Grading would lose its importance, as it puts stress on comparing pupils, and descriptive evaluation reflecting the progress of individuals should be introduced.