Drucker: 52 Projects Submitted in First Phase of Secondary School Optimisation

Bratislava, April 24 (TASR) - As part of the first phase of the optimisation of secondary schools, 52 projects have been submitted to the Education Ministry, with smaller schools expected to be merged into larger units, Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD) announced at a press conference on Thursday. The changes are slated to take effect as of September 2025 or 2026, depending on the timeline of each individual project. The ministry also plans to prepare a non-binding map of secondary schools for regional governments, which is expected to be presented at the end of May. A key part of the reform involves determining so-called 'performances' – the number of students in programmes that the state finances. For the first time, the basic framework for this will be proposed directly by the Education Ministry. "We'll propose how the entire map for Slovakia should look: which schools, which study programmes, how many grammar schools, in which districts and regions, and how many specific vocational subjects should be offered at which schools. And of course, we'll take this new school network optimisation into account," said Drucker. The minister explained that the process will likely unfold in three phases. He emphasised that the goal of optimisation is not a one-off change, but a long-term process aimed at creating a stronger, more modern and more robust secondary-education system. Drucker also noted that regional authorities will have the final say, as secondary schools fall under their jurisdiction. The ministry aims to stabilise schools so that they can respond flexibly to demographic changes and labour market needs, including fluctuations in demand for employees in various sectors. mf/df