Tag Archives: Slovakia

According to collegesanduniversitiesinusa, Slovakia has a long and varied educational history, dating back to the 13th century when the first University in the country was established in Bratislava. Since then, education in Slovakia has undergone several transformations and developments, with the country now boasting a modern educational system that is both comprehensive and diverse. The Slovakian educational system is divided into three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary education begins at age six and lasts for nine years. During this time, students learn basic math, language skills and general knowledge as well as other subjects such as physical education and art. At the end of primary school, students must pass an entrance exam in order to gain access to secondary school. Secondary education consists of four years of study at either a general or vocational school. During this time, students focus on more specialized subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and foreign languages in addition to their core curriculum. At the end of secondary school, students must pass an entrance exam in order to gain access to tertiary education. Tertiary education is provided by universities or colleges that offer either academic degrees or professional qualifications such as law degrees or engineering qualifications. There are currently 28 universities in Slovakia offering a wide range of degree programs from bachelor’s degrees through to doctoral programs. Additionally, there are also numerous private institutions offering various vocational courses for those who wish to pursue more practical careers such as nursing or teaching. Overall, Slovakia’s educational system is comprehensive and highly respected throughout Europe. The country boasts some of the highest levels of literacy in all of Central Europe with over 97% percent of adults aged 15-24 being literate according to recent figures from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). Additionally, over 60% percent of all adults aged 25-64 have completed some form of tertiary level qualification – one of the highest percentages in Europe – further highlighting just how successful Slovakia’s educational system really is. In 2009, Slovakia was a parliamentary representative democracy. The government was a multi-party system and the Prime Minister, Robert Fico, led the Slovakian government. The President of Slovakia at the time was Ivan Gašparovič who had been in office since 2004. Slovakia was a member of both NATO and the European Union (EU). It became a member of NATO in 2004 and joined the EU in May 2004. Slovakia also had an active role in international organizations such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Slovakia maintained strong ties with other countries in Central Europe including Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia. It also had close relations with Russia as well as other countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. In 2009, Slovakia experienced some political tension due to differences between its two main political parties: the left-wing Smer-SD led by Robert Fico and right-wing Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDKU) led by Mikulas Dzurinda. This tension caused some instability within Slovakia’s government as both parties sought to gain power over one another. The economy of Slovakia during this time period was considered to be relatively stable compared to other countries in Central Europe due to its membership in both NATO and EU. It had adopted reforms that increased trade openness while also implementing measures such as privatization which improved economic growth rates over time. During this period of time unemployment remained relatively low at 8% while GDP per capita was around $19000 USD (in 2008). Overall, during 2009 Slovakia experienced some political tensions between its two main political parties but managed to remain relatively stable due to its strong ties with other countries in Central Europe as well as its membership within NATO and EU. Its economy continued to grow steadily due to reforms implemented by the government which increased trade openness while also improving economic conditions through privatization initiatives. Check naturegnosis for Slovakia in 2001.