Technology
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
1. Terminology
The 2018-2027 National Programme for the Development of Education and Training refers to the terms “information and communication technologies (ICTs)”, “digitization of education” and “digital technologies in teaching and testing”.
The 2021-2024 Action Plan of the Education Informatization Programme until 2030 refers to “open educational resources”.
The 2023-2026 National Digital Skills Strategy refers to the term “Digital literacy” as “a selected set of demonstrated abilities of an individual to confidently, critically and responsibly use digital technologies for living, learning and working in a digital society.” It also refers to “distance education” and " open educational resources”.
The 2020 Main Findings of Basic and Secondary Schools on Distance Education refers to “distance learning”; it also clarifies that “Online education” predominantly relies on asynchronous methods, such as sending assignments via email or other communication channels.
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
Constitution and laws: Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution (amended in 2022) mentions that “everyone shall have the right to education” but no information has been found on education technology.
Article 4 of the 2008 Education Act (amended in 2021) states that the objective of education is to enable students to acquire competencies, especially in the field of communication skills and use of information and communication technologies, mathematical literacy, and competence in the field of technical natural sciences and technologies.
Policies, plans and strategies: The 2018-2027 National Programme for the Development of Education and Training (NPRVV) (Národný program rozvoja výchovy a vzdelávania na roky) aims to provide a long-term strategy for education, covering everything from pre-primary education to higher education and further education. The program's objectives include improving the education system's quality, increasing accessibility to quality education for all, and modernizing the education system. “Digitization plays an important role in the modernization of the education system information and communication technologies. NPRVV supports the expansion of their use in teaching, including digitization of educational content and strengthening the use of digital technologies in teaching and testing.”
Component 17 of the 2022 National Reform Programme (Národný program reforiem Slovenskej republiky) is focused on digitization “a functioning digital economy and a society prepared for ongoing technological developments changes in the field of digitization” and focuses on several reforms that include Improving the quality of education and digital skills for school students.
The 2021 - 2024 Programme statement of the government Slovak Republic mentions plans to improve the education system by investing in the development of 21st-century skills such as digital and entrepreneurial skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, and competencies. They also aim to update the content of education, transform teaching methods to make them more attractive, and digitize education. The government emphasizes the importance of continuous professional development for teachers, adequate compensation, and a healthy working environment. Additionally, the government recognizes the role of technology in shaping education and preparing students for the future, and they will implement tools to motivate teachers to use technology effectively. They also recognize the changing societal environment influenced by technology and electronic books, and they are developing libraries to offer more services to the public.
The 2030 Digital Transformation Strategy “sets out the vision of the digital transformation of Slovakia as well as the means and areas for transforming the vision into reality by means of specified priority areas for short-term and long-term horizon”. The strategy aims to achieve an “Educated, healthy and secure society”.
The Education Informatization Programme until 2030, enacted in 2021, presents a long-term strategy for developing and transforming education in the field of information and digitalization. The Programme proposes five strategic development areas: 1. Infrastructure and computer and digital education equipment, 2. Digital skills and competencies for the 21st century, 3. Transformation of education through digital technologies, 4. Development of electronic services in information systems of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Slovak Republic, and 5. Cyber and information security. It emphasizes the importance of educating students about digital technologies in line with modern humanism and society's values. Schools are encouraged to implement digital technologies for the overall development of students, with teachers as key actors in the transformation process. The document also draws from a range of European conceptual documents, including the European Framework for Digital Competences for Citizens and Educators, and the National Strategy for Cybersecurity.
The 2021-2024 Action Plan of the Education Informatization Programme until 2030 aims to transform education through digital technologies (digital transformation of education) by developing develop a sustainable school equipment plan digital technologies for primary and secondary school level, establishing a position school administrator of digital technologies, equipping classrooms and other spaces for students the necessary technique to be secured access to digital technologies and enabling the development of students' digital skills
The 2023-2026 National Digital Skills Strategy identifies four priority areas, namely: (1) Strengthening youth skills, (2) Reducing skills imbalances, (3) Promoting higher participation in adult learning and (4) Strengthening the use of skills in the workplace.
The 2019-2022 Action plan for the digital transformation was developed based on the 2030 Digital Strategy Three key priority areas have been identified and recommended that include digital transformation in schools and education to enhance its quality, create better opportunities for employment, and acquire the necessary skills for the digital era.
Digital competency frameworks: Though there is no national digital competency framework, Slovakia’s framework is based on the European 2021-2027 Digital Education Action Plan, the European skills agenda, the 2022 Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp), the 2017 Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu), and the 2018 European Framework for Personal, Social and Learning to Learn Key Competence (LifeComp).
Changes occurred as a result of COVID-19: Primary and secondary schools in Slovakia were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic from 16th March 2020 till 1st June 2020 which led to the introduction of distance education. The 2023-2026 National Digital Skills Strategy affirms that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the importance of digital skills as it led to a shift to online learning, making digital technologies even more crucial.
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.2.1. Technology infrastructure and digital capacity of schools
Electricity: The 2012 Energy Act No. 251 has provisions on access to electricity but does not specifically refer to education or public buildings.
Computers and devices: The Education Informatization Programme until 2030, enacted in 2021, aims to optimize and modernize the digital technology infrastructure and equipment of the schools.
The National Project edIT (NP edIT) aims to equip educational institutions and their staff with digital devices. For pedagogical or professional employees, the project provides the opportunity to obtain laptops or convertible devices. For school principals, the project allows them to acquire tablets for students, laptops for students in secondary schools, and equipment for study rooms.
The National Project edIT 1 aims to equip study rooms in secondary school dormitories with computers and multifunctional devices to improve access to education and address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational process. Eligible schools and dormitories can apply for funding through an online form, and the number of devices allocated depends on the number of accommodated students. The equipment must be insured and properly labeled, and the study room must be accessible to students during designated study and leisure times.
The objective is to improve the accessibility of education and support the development of digital skills among students and educators, especially in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational process. The project is supported by the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund under the Operational Programme Human Resources.
Internet connectivity: The 2020 National Broadband Plan states that every building of critical infrastructure (including schools) should have a highspeed internet connection (over 1 Gbit).
Article 96 of the 2021 Electronic Communications Act No. 452 is dedicated to the provision of universal service throughout the territory of the Slovak Republic that includes broadband access to the Internet.
The Education Informatization Programme until 2030, enacted in 2021, and in accordance with the National Broadband Plan 2030, aims to ensure high-speed internet connection to schools.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports of the Slovak Republic provides Internet connectivity and data services to schools through two programs, SANET and EDUNET_SK.
As part of the project Digital learning within reach, an optical network was created in five selected districts of Slovakia, and schools were given an eGov service named "Access to the school's digital services." The school provides access to the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Slovak Republic's digital educational content (DEO), access to other eGov services of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Slovak Republic, and filtered content from the Internet based on the student's age and educational needs via the WiFi network.
2.2.2. Technology and learning environments
The Education Informatization Programme until 2030, states that schools shifted to distance learning, often relying on asynchronous teaching using email or other channels to send assignments. This situation accelerated discussions on the digitization of education in Slovakia and highlighted the need for schools and teachers to have digital literacy and the ability to use digital technologies to support the overall development of students.
The 2023-2026 National Digital Skills Strategy includes as one of its measures the support for the use of open educational resources (OER) in the education system. The document also mentions the creation of a database of educational content linked to educational standards and using innovative pedagogical approaches that would support the use of OER and foster the use of OER by promoting the creation of a community of teachers that would improve teaching using digital technologies and suitable pedagogical approaches.
The response plans to COVID-19 included television and radio for distance education for primary and secondary school students through Slovak Radio and Television (RTVS). The government has also set up a national helpline for teachers and students to provide support and assistance with remote learning during the pandemic. The website ucimenadialku.sk was created by the Ministry of Education, containing webinars, online lessons, and recommendations for teachers, professional staff and parents and the portal Viki contains educational content divided by subject area.
The 2021-2024 Programme statement of the government Slovak Republic acknowledges the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on society and the challenges it poses to education. Despite the pandemic, the government aims to prioritize and improve the quality of education in the country. The government plans to implement measures to support early childhood education and promote equal access to education for all children. The government also recognizes the need to shift from the emphasis on the quantity of teaching hours to focusing on providing quality education in primary and secondary schools. The government aims to improve the quality of the educational process by evaluating the efficiency of resources allocated for education and by hiring more qualified educational staff and specialist educators. Although the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education systems worldwide, the government believes that crisis management measures can serve as an impetus for change in education and in the country as a whole.
The National Project edIT" (NP edIT) is a project aimed at mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational process in secondary schools and the second level of primary schools. It focuses on improving the accessibility of education by addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic and preparing for the possibility of further disruptions to classroom teaching. The project also aims to adapt the overall education process to current needs, particularly by supporting the development of digital skills for students and teachers and gradually transitioning to hybrid education approaches. The primary objective of NP edIT is to support at-risk groups of students who may face difficulties in their academic performance due to the pandemic's disruptions. The project is funded through support from the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of the Operational Program Human Resources.
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
2.3.1. Learners
The 2022 National Reform Programme (Národný program reforiem Slovenskej republiky) outlines the measures being taken and planned to address the specific recommendations made by the Council of the European Union for Slovakia. The proposed curriculum reform aims to change the content of education with a focus on developing necessary skills, including digital skills. This will involve changes in the training and professional development of teachers, changes to textbooks and the creation of regional centres to provide support during the transition to the new curriculum.
One of the main purposes of the Education Informatization Programme until 2030 is the development of digital skills and competencies for the 21st century through the education system and curricula content.
The 2023-2026 National Digital Skills Strategy aspires to increase the level of digital competencies of students.
2.3.2. Teachers
Slovakia is making significant efforts to digitalize education and improve digital skills. The Education Minister recently launched a "digital leap" initiative, which includes a large investment in digital technologies, as well as the establishment of a network of digital coordinators, online high school exams, and training for teachers.
The "Digitálna koalícia" Slovak National Coalition for Digital Skills and Jobs aims to improve the digital skills of all employees including the education sector.
The 2030 Digital Transformation Strategy states that the country aims to improve the quality of education, digitalize schools and the education system, and enhance teachers' and students' digital skills by 2030 through the Programme for Informatization of Education, pilot projects, and initiatives such as continuous teacher education (in-service training), personalized learning, support for soft skills, and stronger links between education and the workforce. “The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic will, in cooperation with the Digital Coalition and with ITAS, support the preparation of new teachers, as well as continuous education of informatics, mathematics, STEM subjects, and other subjects to increase their competences for the digital economy”.
The 2023-2026 National Digital Skills Strategy aims to increase the skills and digital competencies of teachers.
The government of Slovakia, in its 2021-2024 Programme statement, has emphasized the importance of improving the quality of education and ensuring that students have enough time to understand the content they are learning. To this end, the government plans to implement measures to improve the conditions of the educational process in primary and high schools and will support the work of teachers by increasing the number of specialized staff and assistants directly in schools. Additionally, the government will focus on the continuous professional development of teachers and will create conditions for functional cooperation between schools and faculties providing teacher training in identifying the real needs of education. This is aimed at improving the quality of teacher preparation and further education and ensuring that they are adequately compensated for their work. With better coordination between the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, and municipalities, the government aims to create conditions for the development of media and digital literacy activities, especially increasing the level of media education in schools.
The 2021-2024 Action Plan aims to create a professional community of teachers with a goal improving the quality of teaching using digital technologies, using appropriate methodologies and pedagogical procedures in all classes subjects. It also aspires to improve the system of pedagogical support employees and professional employees at the use of digital technologies in education process through the newly created position the school digital coordinator, ensure full or part time funding for this position
2.4. Cybersecurity and safety
The 2021-2024 Programme statement of the government Slovak Republic recognizes cybersecurity threats as one of the most dangerous societal threats and a high priority for investment in the coming years. To effectively tackle cybercrime, a specialized police unit will collaborate with relevant state agencies and security forces, such as the National Security Authority, the Slovak Intelligence Service, and Military Intelligence. The government will invest in developing efficient detection and protection systems, enhancing the capacity to react to cyber-attacks, and creating modern and efficient forms of cooperation between cybersecurity agencies and the private sector. The government will also undertake a thorough audit of cybersecurity and information security and review strategic investments in know-how, technology, and labour experienced in cybersecurity and information security.
2.4.1. Data privacy
The 2018 Protection of Personal Data No.18 adopts the provisions of the GDPR, includes specific exceptions in certain areas, and incorporates the Data Protection Directive concerning Law Enforcement (Directive (EU) 2016/680) into the Slovak legal system. However, no information was found in the context of schools and education.
One of the goals of the 2021-2025 National Cyber Security Strategy and its Implementation action plan is the integration of the concept of basic safety education incorporated into the development of digital skills at all levels of education. It emphasizes the importance of data privacy in cyberspace and acknowledges the fact that people are increasingly sharing their personal data in this space, and it is the responsibility of organizations and governments to protect that data against breaches and misuse. The strategy also recognizes that information security must ensure the security of any information, including personal data. Furthermore, it highlights the need for adequate security measures to be put in place by governments to prevent the abuse of sensitive personal information in accordance with the European General Data Protection Regulation
The strategy mentions the absence of systematic education on cybersecurity in primary and secondary education, resulting in a large number of technology users without basic knowledge of safe internet practices. The strategy's goal is to create a sustainable system of specialized training for individuals in the field of cybersecurity, from primary education to tertiary education. It also aims to create a system for spreading security awareness at all levels of education to prevent cybersecurity incidents. The education system should include training employees in public administration so that they meet the minimum knowledge requirements in cybersecurity and information security, considering that they daily work with systems and sensitive personal data. Furthermore, the education system should include continuing education and the maintenance of competencies in cybersecurity and information security through programmes such as the Slovak Qualifications Framework and the National System of Qualifications of the Slovak Republic.
2.4.2. Online abuse and cyberbullying
In 2021 the Criminal Code of the Slovak Republic introduced a special criminal offence of Dangerous Electronic Harassment.
The 2021-2025 National Cyber Security Strategy acknowledges the spread of illegal activities such as the spread of misinformation and propaganda, which could potentially contribute to online abuse and cyberbullying. Therefore, the 2022-2023 Action Plan for Solving Bullying in Schools and School Facilities was created to eliminate risks and conditions that contribute to the occurrence of bullying and cyberbullying in the school environment, including measures to increase the expertise of educational and professional staff, as well as to strengthen cooperation with state authorities. The plan also aims to strengthen awareness and understanding of its risks and to create measures to eliminate future risks in cyberbullying. The plan also acknowledges the importance of proper education for staff working with children, as well as targeted campaigns to increase awareness and understanding of bullying and cyberbullying among students, teachers, parents, and the public. The state plans to achieve its objectives through a comprehensive and collaborative approach, including targeted workshops and webinars for staff and multidisciplinary education with various relevant institutions.
3. Governance
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports of the Slovak Republic is the national authority for the field of education. The Institute of Information and Prognoses of Education (www.uips.sk), an organization established by the Ministry, is primarily responsible for the informatization of regional education (kindergartens, primary and secondary schools) in which the department “Developing informatization of the regional school”, provides Internet connections, wifi in schools, asset management for schools with ICT projects, organization and implementation of training techniques and supporting the integration of technology in schools. This institution operates as a service centre that coordinates ICT for schools in Slovakia.
The 2021-2024 Action Plan aims to establish a National Center for Digital technologies in education (NCDTvV) in the environment academic workplaces long-term focused on implementation of the digital transformation of education with two centers - in Bratislava under the management of the UK and in Košice under the management of UPJŠ with the involvement of experts from other universities.
3.2. Roles of schools
No legislation on the roles of schools, including their management of digital devices or mobile phones, has been found.
This profile was reviewed with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic (Ministerstvo školstva, vedy, výskumu a športu Slovenskej republiky)
