Students in pre-tertiary education, school years 2021/2022 and 2020/2021
The number of children in basic education continues to grow
At the beginning of the school year 2021/22, 85,957 children were attending kindergartens, 195,414 basic school and 75,414 upper secondary school.
Slightly fewer children in kindergarten
In the school year 2021/22, 85,957 children were enrolled in kindergartens, i.e. 236 fewer than in the previous year. The number of children in the first age group (children aged 1 and 2) increased by 1.4% compared to the previous year, while in the second age group (children from 3 years of age until entering school) it decreased slightly (by 1%).
Pre-school education was provided by 980 kindergartens and their units, 862 of them public and 118 private. A large majority of children (94%) were attending public kindergartens.
The number of children in basic education continues to grow
In 2021/22, 195,414 children were enrolled in basic school program with regular and adapted curriculum, which is 1.2% more than in the previous year. The number of children in basic education has been growing since 2010/11, when it was the lowest in independent Slovenia (161,046). Smaller generations born 15 years ago are leaving for upper secondary schools and larger generations are staying. The generations of first-graders are larger (this year 21,123) than the generations of ninth-graders (this year 19,908).
Children in Slovenia enter basic education at 6 years of age. However, some start school a year later than their peers for various reasons. In the observed school year, 12% of first-graders were seven-year-olds (8% five years ago).
On average, 19 pupils per class
Compulsory basic education was carried out by 773 basic schools and their subsidiaries and by 48 basic schools with adapted curriculum and institutions for children with special education needs. In the largest school, 1,145 pupils were attending classes, in the largest school branch 461 and in the smallest branch only 3.
The average class had 19 pupils. This number varies depending on the organizational form of schools. In independent and central basic schools, there were on average 21 pupils per class, and in subsidiary schools only 11 pupils per class. The average number of children per class also varies among statistical regions. It was the lowest in basic schools in the Pomurska and Koroška statistical regions (16) and the highest in the Osrednjeslovenska statistical region (22).
7% of the basic school population were children with special needs
In regular and adapted basic education programmes, there were 14,336 children with special needs, which was 7% of all children in basic school. Most of them (82%) were included in regular programmes with adapted implementation and additional professional assistance and represented 6% of all pupils in regular basic education programmes.
Slightly more students in upper secondary education
In the school year 2021/22, 75,414 students were enrolled in upper secondary education, 2% more than in the previous school year, carried out by 142 public upper secondary schools, 6 private upper secondary schools and 5 institutions for special needs children. We expect the number of pupils to increase again in the coming years, as the number of pupils in basic education has been rising since the 2011/12 school year.
Among 21,550 first-year students, 20,766 were new entrants, entering upper secondary education for the first time. Others were either repeaters or changed their study programme.
In upper secondary vocational programmes more boys, in general programmes more girls
26,575 students were enrolled in upper secondary general programmes, 35,635 students in technical programmes, 12,132 in vocational programmes and 1,072 in short-term vocational programmes.
Girls represented 28% of pupils in short-term upper secondary vocational education, 30% in upper secondary vocational education, and 46% in upper secondary technical education. On the other hand, they represented 62% of pupils in general upper secondary education.
Most male students in engineering, most female students in health and services
Men tend to choose technical and vocational programmes much more often than women. Three out of four (74%) male students were enrolled in these programmes, mostly in the fields of Engineering, manufacturing and construction (44% of all male students) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (8%).
On the other hand, 55% of female students were enrolled in technical and vocational programmes, mostly in the fields of Health and welfare (12% of all female students), Services (11%) and Business and administration (10%).
Fewer participants in adult education programmes
In the school year 2020/21, 967 adults took lessons in basic school programme for adults (1,113 in 2019/20). Two out of three participants (66%) were men, more than a third of whom younger than 18 years of age (34%).
Upper secondary education programmes for adults were attended by 13,851 participants in 2020/21, 15% fewer than in the previous year. 72% of participants were younger than 25 years, the distribution by sex was evenly distributed. 4% of participants wished to receive a general upper secondary education, 62% of adults were enrolled in technical programmes and 34% in vocational upper secondary programmes. The majority of participants attended programmes in the field of business and administration.
In the school year 2021/22, 85,957 children were enrolled in kindergartens, i.e. 236 fewer than in the previous year. The number of children in the first age group (children aged 1 and 2) increased by 1.4% compared to the previous year, while in the second age group (children from 3 years of age until entering school) it decreased slightly (by 1%).
Pre-school education was provided by 980 kindergartens and their units, 862 of them public and 118 private. A large majority of children (94%) were attending public kindergartens.
The number of children in basic education continues to grow
In 2021/22, 195,414 children were enrolled in basic school program with regular and adapted curriculum, which is 1.2% more than in the previous year. The number of children in basic education has been growing since 2010/11, when it was the lowest in independent Slovenia (161,046). Smaller generations born 15 years ago are leaving for upper secondary schools and larger generations are staying. The generations of first-graders are larger (this year 21,123) than the generations of ninth-graders (this year 19,908).
Children in Slovenia enter basic education at 6 years of age. However, some start school a year later than their peers for various reasons. In the observed school year, 12% of first-graders were seven-year-olds (8% five years ago).
On average, 19 pupils per class
Compulsory basic education was carried out by 773 basic schools and their subsidiaries and by 48 basic schools with adapted curriculum and institutions for children with special education needs. In the largest school, 1,145 pupils were attending classes, in the largest school branch 461 and in the smallest branch only 3.
The average class had 19 pupils. This number varies depending on the organizational form of schools. In independent and central basic schools, there were on average 21 pupils per class, and in subsidiary schools only 11 pupils per class. The average number of children per class also varies among statistical regions. It was the lowest in basic schools in the Pomurska and Koroška statistical regions (16) and the highest in the Osrednjeslovenska statistical region (22).
7% of the basic school population were children with special needs
In regular and adapted basic education programmes, there were 14,336 children with special needs, which was 7% of all children in basic school. Most of them (82%) were included in regular programmes with adapted implementation and additional professional assistance and represented 6% of all pupils in regular basic education programmes.
Slightly more students in upper secondary education
In the school year 2021/22, 75,414 students were enrolled in upper secondary education, 2% more than in the previous school year, carried out by 142 public upper secondary schools, 6 private upper secondary schools and 5 institutions for special needs children. We expect the number of pupils to increase again in the coming years, as the number of pupils in basic education has been rising since the 2011/12 school year.
Among 21,550 first-year students, 20,766 were new entrants, entering upper secondary education for the first time. Others were either repeaters or changed their study programme.
In upper secondary vocational programmes more boys, in general programmes more girls
26,575 students were enrolled in upper secondary general programmes, 35,635 students in technical programmes, 12,132 in vocational programmes and 1,072 in short-term vocational programmes.
Girls represented 28% of pupils in short-term upper secondary vocational education, 30% in upper secondary vocational education, and 46% in upper secondary technical education. On the other hand, they represented 62% of pupils in general upper secondary education.
Most male students in engineering, most female students in health and services
Men tend to choose technical and vocational programmes much more often than women. Three out of four (74%) male students were enrolled in these programmes, mostly in the fields of Engineering, manufacturing and construction (44% of all male students) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (8%).
On the other hand, 55% of female students were enrolled in technical and vocational programmes, mostly in the fields of Health and welfare (12% of all female students), Services (11%) and Business and administration (10%).
Fewer participants in adult education programmes
In the school year 2020/21, 967 adults took lessons in basic school programme for adults (1,113 in 2019/20). Two out of three participants (66%) were men, more than a third of whom younger than 18 years of age (34%).
Upper secondary education programmes for adults were attended by 13,851 participants in 2020/21, 15% fewer than in the previous year. 72% of participants were younger than 25 years, the distribution by sex was evenly distributed. 4% of participants wished to receive a general upper secondary education, 62% of adults were enrolled in technical programmes and 34% in vocational upper secondary programmes. The majority of participants attended programmes in the field of business and administration.
METHODOLOGICAL NOTE
Detailed data on students in pre-tertiary education for school years 2021/22 and 2020/21 will be published in the SiStat Database on 21 June 2022.
When making use of the data and information of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, always add: "Source: SURS". More: Copyright.
