CPD credit system and teaching career opportunities

Policy development
Regulation/Legislation
Slovakia
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Timeline
  • 2018Implementation
  • 2019Discontinued
ID number
28582

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

The 2009 reform (Act 317/2009) introduced a new model of in-service training, career progress, and remuneration via credit-based in-service training. The limited validity of credits (seven years) and related risk of reduced income after expiry of the validity of credits resulted in criticism from the teaching profession. There were only two options to prevent dissatisfaction: to continue the current (criticised) model resulting in credit hunting by additional opportunities for accumulation of credits, or to abolish the limited validity of credits already gained.

Objectives

Goals and objectives of the policy development.

The education ministry decided to abolish the limited validity of credits to prevent a fall in teacher incomes. This measure was considered as a temporary solution, as preparing new legislation introducing a new approach to CPD and in-service training already started.

Description

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

The steps taken until 2018 focused on amending legislation and policy commitments for further continuing professional development (CPD) improvements. The newest and the most visible of such improvements is the abolition of the limited validity (seven years) of credits received within CPD. Staff can move from beginner to independent teacher status and then to attestation at first and second (advanced) level. Since the 2009 Pedagogical Staff Act, a wide range of in-service programmes/courses have awarded credits that allow for reaching the attestation level. Long-lasting criticism of limited validity of credits (a maximum of seven years) triggered a policy change. Credits originally expiring after 1 January 2018 will remain valid without limits. The rationale behind the change is that the effects of CPD related to these credits are permanent, and expiration of credits creates additional reasons for credit hunting. Credits expiring before 1 January 2018, as well as benefits related to these credits, are 'lost'. The change is important for those who have exploited the accumulated credit points for a temporary salary benefit and not for their career path progress (attestations resulting in a higher wage category). Expiration of credits resulted in losing the aforementioned temporary salary benefit. At the same time, opportunities to acquire credits through other activities than in-service training have been reduced. There is a...

The steps taken until 2018 focused on amending legislation and policy commitments for further continuing professional development (CPD) improvements. The newest and the most visible of such improvements is the abolition of the limited validity (seven years) of credits received within CPD. Staff can move from beginner to independent teacher status and then to attestation at first and second (advanced) level. Since the 2009 Pedagogical Staff Act, a wide range of in-service programmes/courses have awarded credits that allow for reaching the attestation level. Long-lasting criticism of limited validity of credits (a maximum of seven years) triggered a policy change. Credits originally expiring after 1 January 2018 will remain valid without limits. The rationale behind the change is that the effects of CPD related to these credits are permanent, and expiration of credits creates additional reasons for credit hunting. Credits expiring before 1 January 2018, as well as benefits related to these credits, are 'lost'. The change is important for those who have exploited the accumulated credit points for a temporary salary benefit and not for their career path progress (attestations resulting in a higher wage category). Expiration of credits resulted in losing the aforementioned temporary salary benefit. At the same time, opportunities to acquire credits through other activities than in-service training have been reduced. There is a need to address this, as CPD relates to a variety of learning opportunities.

2018
Implementation
2019
Discontinued

A new Act on Pedagogical and Professional Staff (138/2019) has abolished the credit system; instead of credit payment, bonuses have been introduced for specific cases of in-service training. In contrast to the earlier legislation, many other types of in-service training do not prompt a salary increase.

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.
  • Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport (until 2024)

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Education professionals

  • Teachers
  • Trainers
  • School leaders

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several thematic categories.

Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences

Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.

This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.

The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.

Systematic approaches to and opportunities for initial and continuous professional development of school leaders, teachers and trainers

This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.

Subsystem

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.
IVET
CVET

Further reading

Sources for further reading where readers can find more information on policy developments: links to official documents, dedicated websites, project pages. Some sources may only be available in national languages.
Act No 138/2019 on pedagogical and professional staff [Zákon c. 138/2019 Z. z. o pedagogických zamestnancoch a odborných zamestnancoch]

Country

Slovakia

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.
Regulation/Legislation
Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). CPD credit system and teaching career opportunities: Slovakia. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28582