Responsibility at the central level – central state administration bodies

The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic is responsible for adult education at the national level. 

The ministry prepares legislation relevant to this area of the educational system.

The ministry grants an educational institution accreditation for a specific educational programme based on the further education accreditation commission’s (SK) opinion.  

The ministry ensures the required quality of further vocational education and re-qualification by means of accreditation of educational programmes and systematic monitoring. 

People interested in further education can use the further education information system. The ministry updates the information on all educational programmes with valid accreditation regularly. At the same time, it also contains all necessary information and documentation for further education providers.

The State Institute for Vocational Education (SK) is a national coordinator for the European programme of adult learning and it serves as a national support service for the Electronic platform for adult learning in Europe (EPALE). In addition to the above, it is also the national coordination centre for the European Qualification Framework (EQF) and the National Centre for Europass.

Offices of labour, social affairs and family (under the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic) mediate a significant part of further vocational education and re-qualification in the form of active policies on the labour market. 

As far as continuous education is concerned, the content and provision of further education for specific professional staff is often the responsibility of individual ministries (for example Academy of Justice - Ministry of Justice (SK); or education of health care professionals (SK) – Ministry of Health (SK)).

Responsibility at the regional level – higher territorial units

Regional self-government is obliged to take care of multi-faceted development of its territory and its inhabitants’ needs. In the area of adult education and training, it mostly means the creation of conditions for the development of further education in the respective self- governing region.

Higher territorial units also create programmes of economic and social development, which usually also cover measures for lifelong learning development in the region.

Responsibility at the local level – municipalities

Also, self-governing municipalities should create conditions for health care provision, education, culture, education activities, leisure activities in arts, physical culture and sport. Positive examples of the implementation of these principles in adult education include the Academy of the Third Age (SK), which has operated in Pezinok under the auspices of the municipal authority. 

Legislative references

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2001. Act No. 302/2001 on the self-government of upper-tier territorial units (the Act on self-governing regions) as  amended by subsequent provisions (Zákon č. 302/2001 Z.z. o samospráve vyšších územných celkov) (last accessed 28/10/2019).

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 1990. Act No. 369/1990 on the municipal system as amended by subsequent provisions  (Zákon č. 369/1990 Z.z. o obecnom zriadení v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 28/10/2019).

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2001.  Act  No.  575/2001  on  the  organization  of government  activities  and  the  central  state  administration  as  amended by subsequent provisions (Zákon č. 575/2001 Z.z. o organizácii činnosti vlády a organizácii ústrednej štátnej správy v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 28/10/2019).