Students in pre-tertiary education, school years 2023/2024 and 2022/2023
The number of children in basic education is decreasing, in upper secondary education continues to grow
At the beginning of the school year 2023/24, 84,522 children were attending kindergartens, 196,371 basic school and 80,685 upper secondary school.
Fewer children in kindergartens
At the beginning of the school year 2023/24, 84,522 children were enrolled in kindergartens, i.e. 1,655 fewer than in the previous year. The number of children in the first age group (children aged 1 and 2) went down by 1.2% and in the second age group (children from 3 years of age until entering school) by 2.2%.
Pre-school education was provided by 988 kindergartens and their units, 868 of them public and 120 private. A large majority of children (94%) were attending public kindergartens.
Slightly fewer children in basic education than in the previous year
Since 2010/11, when the number of children in basic education was the lowest in independent Slovenia (161,046), the number has been constantly increasing. However, in the school year 2023/24, it slightly decreased again. 196,371 children were enrolled in basic school program with regular and adapted curriculum, which is 0.4% fewer than in the previous year.
In the school year 2023/24, 20,812 children entered first grade of basic school. 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, 11.5% of first-graders were seven-year-olds.
On average, 19 pupils per class
Compulsory basic education was carried out by 771 basic schools and their branches and by 48 basic schools with adapted curriculum and institutions for children with special education needs. In the largest school, 1,119 pupils were attending classes, and in the largest branch school 548.
The average class had 19 pupils. In independent and central basic schools, there were on average 20 pupils per class, and in branch 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 (21).
A tenth of the basic school population were children with special needs
In regular and adapted basic education programmes, there were 19,418 children with special needs, which was 10% of all children in basic school. Most of them (85%) were included in regular programmes with adapted implementation and additional professional assistance and represented 8% of all pupils in regular basic education programmes.
The number of pupils in upper secondary education continues to grow
In the school year 2023/24, 80,685 pupils were enrolled in upper secondary education, 4.2% more than in the previous school year. This education was carried out by 143 public upper secondary schools, 6 private upper secondary schools and 6 institutions for special needs children.
Among 24,379 first-year pupils, 23,268 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
28,557 pupils were enrolled in upper secondary general programmes, 37,913 in technical programmes, 12,956 in vocational programmes and 1,259 in short-term vocational programmes.
Girls represented 33% of pupils in short-term upper secondary vocational education, 30% in upper secondary vocational education, and 47% in upper secondary technical education. On the other hand, they represented 62% of pupils in general upper secondary education.
Most male pupils in engineering, most female pupils in health and services
Men tend to choose technical and vocational programmes much more often than women. Almost three out of four (73%) male pupils were enrolled in these programmes, mostly in the fields of Engineering, manufacturing and construction (42% of all male pupils), followed by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (8%).
On the other hand, 56% of female pupils were enrolled in technical and vocational programmes, mostly in the fields of Health and welfare (12% of all female pupils), followed by Services and by Business and administration (11% each).
More participants in adult education programmes
In the school year 2022/23, 1,221 adults took lessons in basic school programme for adults (a year earlier 1,024). Two out of three participants (68%) were men, and nearly half were 18 years old or younger (48%).
Upper secondary education programmes for adults were attended by 15,920 participants in 2022/23, almost 12% more than in the previous year. 75% of participants were younger than 25 years. The distribution by sex was in favour of women (52%). 4% of participants wished to receive a general upper secondary education, 61% of adults were enrolled in technical programmes and 35% in vocational upper secondary programmes. The majority of participants attended programmes in the field of business and administration.
Tables with the latest data are available in the SiStat Database.
At the beginning of the school year 2023/24, 84,522 children were enrolled in kindergartens, i.e. 1,655 fewer than in the previous year. The number of children in the first age group (children aged 1 and 2) went down by 1.2% and in the second age group (children from 3 years of age until entering school) by 2.2%.
Pre-school education was provided by 988 kindergartens and their units, 868 of them public and 120 private. A large majority of children (94%) were attending public kindergartens.
Slightly fewer children in basic education than in the previous year
Since 2010/11, when the number of children in basic education was the lowest in independent Slovenia (161,046), the number has been constantly increasing. However, in the school year 2023/24, it slightly decreased again. 196,371 children were enrolled in basic school program with regular and adapted curriculum, which is 0.4% fewer than in the previous year.
In the school year 2023/24, 20,812 children entered first grade of basic school. 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, 11.5% of first-graders were seven-year-olds.
On average, 19 pupils per class
Compulsory basic education was carried out by 771 basic schools and their branches and by 48 basic schools with adapted curriculum and institutions for children with special education needs. In the largest school, 1,119 pupils were attending classes, and in the largest branch school 548.
The average class had 19 pupils. In independent and central basic schools, there were on average 20 pupils per class, and in branch 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 (21).
A tenth of the basic school population were children with special needs
In regular and adapted basic education programmes, there were 19,418 children with special needs, which was 10% of all children in basic school. Most of them (85%) were included in regular programmes with adapted implementation and additional professional assistance and represented 8% of all pupils in regular basic education programmes.
The number of pupils in upper secondary education continues to grow
In the school year 2023/24, 80,685 pupils were enrolled in upper secondary education, 4.2% more than in the previous school year. This education was carried out by 143 public upper secondary schools, 6 private upper secondary schools and 6 institutions for special needs children.
Among 24,379 first-year pupils, 23,268 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
28,557 pupils were enrolled in upper secondary general programmes, 37,913 in technical programmes, 12,956 in vocational programmes and 1,259 in short-term vocational programmes.
Girls represented 33% of pupils in short-term upper secondary vocational education, 30% in upper secondary vocational education, and 47% in upper secondary technical education. On the other hand, they represented 62% of pupils in general upper secondary education.
Most male pupils in engineering, most female pupils in health and services
Men tend to choose technical and vocational programmes much more often than women. Almost three out of four (73%) male pupils were enrolled in these programmes, mostly in the fields of Engineering, manufacturing and construction (42% of all male pupils), followed by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (8%).
On the other hand, 56% of female pupils were enrolled in technical and vocational programmes, mostly in the fields of Health and welfare (12% of all female pupils), followed by Services and by Business and administration (11% each).
More participants in adult education programmes
In the school year 2022/23, 1,221 adults took lessons in basic school programme for adults (a year earlier 1,024). Two out of three participants (68%) were men, and nearly half were 18 years old or younger (48%).
Upper secondary education programmes for adults were attended by 15,920 participants in 2022/23, almost 12% more than in the previous year. 75% of participants were younger than 25 years. The distribution by sex was in favour of women (52%). 4% of participants wished to receive a general upper secondary education, 61% of adults were enrolled in technical programmes and 35% in vocational upper secondary programmes. The majority of participants attended programmes in the field of business and administration.
Tables with the latest data are available in the SiStat Database.
METHODOLOGICAL NOTE
Additional explanations are available in the methodological explanations.
When making use of the data and information of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, always add: "Source: SURS". More: Copyright.
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