Ljubljana – The European Commission has released its latest evaluation of education and training across member states, outlining progress made towards seven specific goals. Slovenia’s education system is performing relatively well at all levels compared to the EU. In 2023, the percentage of secondary and university students engaged in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) surpassed the European average.
In 2023, 42.1 percent of students in secondary vocational and professional education were enrolled in STEM programs, significantly higher than the EU average of 26.9 percent and nearing the target set for 2030. The proportion of students in these programs rose by 0.4 percentage points, while the EU average remained stagnant from 2015 to 2023.
As of 2024, women accounted for approximately one-third of students in tertiary STEM fields, close to the EU average but still below the EU target. In secondary vocational and professional programs, the representation of women in STEM fields was less than one-sixth.
Slovenia ensures preschool education and care availability for every child from as young as 11 months, often starting just after parental leave ends. This makes Slovenia one of the few EU nations without a shortage of preschool spaces.
The European Commission notes challenges in school education, such as declining basic skills, insufficient digital competencies, and a lack of teachers, all of which threaten human capital development. To address these issues, comprehensive reforms of curricula are underway at preschool, primary, and secondary levels, including the introduction of a new mandatory subject focused on computer science and digital technologies in primary schools. (November 14)
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