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1. Governance

2. Cross-Sectoral Cooperation

Governance

The main governmental authority responsible for education and training in Slovakia is the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic. It is responsible for setting national education policy, developing curricula, overseeing funding mechanisms, and coordinating reforms across all levels of education, including youth-targeted measures. Within the Ministry, specific departments handle general education, vocational education and training (VET), higher education, and lifelong learning.

Other key public actors include:

• The National Institute of Education and Youth (NIVAM), which integrates several former institutions, including the State Pedagogical Institute. NIVAM is responsible for curriculum development, teacher support, youth work, non-formal education, and the implementation of international programmes such as Erasmus+.
• The Slovak Accreditation Agency for Higher Education, responsible for quality assurance in tertiary education.
• The National Institute of Vocational Education (ŠIOV), which supports the development of VET and dual education.
• The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, which collaborates on adult learning, employment-related training, and NEET support.

Non-public actors involved in shaping education and training policies include:

• Social partners, such as employer associations and trade unions, particularly active in VET and adult learning.
• Professional associations representing teachers, school leaders, and academic staff.
• Youth organisations and student unions, which are consulted on youth-related education policies.
• Regional and local governments, which play a key role in implementing national policies at the local level.

The distribution of responsibilities is decentralised:

• The central government defines national education policy, curricula, and quality standards.
• Self-governing regions (VÚCs) are responsible for managing upper secondary schools, including VET institutions.
• Municipalities oversee kindergartens and primary schools.
• School governing bodies and school directors have autonomy in pedagogical, staffing, and organisational matters.

For more detailed information, see the Eurydice country profile – Section 2.6: Administration and Governance.

Cross-Sectoral Cooperation

Cross-sectoral cooperation in Slovakia is supported through formal and informal mechanisms involving multiple ministries, agencies, and stakeholders:

• Inter-ministerial working groups are established for major reforms, such as the development of the new Adult Education Act and the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) in education.
• The Council for Vocational Education and Training, coordinated by the Ministry of Education, brings together representatives from ministries, employers, trade unions, and education providers to align VET with labour market needs.
• The Youth Council of Slovakia and other youth organisations are regularly consulted on education and training policies affecting young people.
• EU-funded programmes (e.g. ESF+, Erasmus+, RRP) often require and facilitate cooperation between ministries, regional authorities, schools, employers, and civil society organisations.

These mechanisms aim to ensure that education and training policies are coherent, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of young people across sectors.