STA, 26 November 2020 - As schooling continues remotely in Slovenia, the education minister has decreed measures that in effect reduce the number of required school marks this school year. Primary schools are advised against assessing pupils' work while classes are held online.
Under the decree signed by Minister Simona Kustec, the currently two assessment periods are being merged into one running from 1 September this year to 24 June 2021 for primary, secondary and music schools. For final year primary pupils it ends on 15 June 2021.
Assessments in primary school will be done in class. During remote classes teachers can also mark pupils individually.
However, recommendations issued by the National Education Institute that have been sent to schools along with the new rules, suggest primary schools should leave written or oral exams for when pupils return to school.
"Pupil's work for classes that are on the curriculum up to two periods a week, need to be assessed at least twice during the school year," the decree reads.
Pupils will need to get at least one mark for classes on subjects that come up less than twice a week, and at least three for subjects such as maths where there are more than two periods a week.
Pupil's work in music classes needs to be marked at least three times per the assessment period, but not all marks should be based on written assignments.
Secondary schools need to adjust assessment rules to the single assessment period.
The government has extended remote schooling for another week because the country is yet to see a meaningful improvement in the coronavirus situation.
Classes moved online for secondary school pupils and primary school pupils from the sixth grade on on 19 October, a week ahead of the autumn break, and the other pupils switched to distance learning after an extended two week break.
In its circuclar to schools, the Education Ministry said that "if everyone makes the effort and we improve the epidemiologic situation in Slovenia" return of at least part of pupils to class is likely from 7 December.
"We are in talks for pupils up to the third grade and all special needs children involved in adjusted programmes to return to schools first," the ministry said, referring to primary schools.
