Stredná odborná škola
Slovakia is a beautiful small country in the heart of Europe. Its total area is 49 035 sq km and it has 5,38 million inhabitants. The majority of the population is of Slovak origin, but there live also Hun-garians, Romans, Ukrainians, Czechs, Poles, Jewish and others minorities in the country. The official language is Slovak but there are various dialects in some regions.
The capital of Slovakia – Bratislava, is the biggest town of the country (460 000 inhabitants). Nitra (81 600 inhabitants) lies in the southwestern part of the country 80 km far away from Bratislava.
The school year begins on September 1st and finishes on June 30th in Slovakia. There are autumn, winter, spring and Easter holidays during the school year.
Children start to go to school at the age of six in Slovakia. They begin their 10-year compulsory school attendance at the elementary school. The elementary school lasts for nine years but some clever students may leave it after the 5th class and go on their study at 8-year secondary grammar schools (after passing entrance exams).
The majority of the pupils leave the elementary school after the 9th class. Then they have to decide whether to go on their study at a secondary grammar school (after passing entrance exams) that pre-pares students for study at universities, or at a comprehensive school (it gives a professional educa-tion but prepares for the study at universities too), at a school for apprentices (the study takes for 3 or 4 years) or at an art school. At this time there are state, private and religious schools in Slovakia.
The average length of the study at the secondary school is four years. At the end of the 4th year stu-dents have to pass a school-leaving exam, consisting of oral, written and practical parts. If a student doesn’t manage to pass the examination on the first attempt, he is offered a second chance in Sep-tember and the third one in February next year.
The Secondary Vocational School Cintorínska 4, Nitra is a state school. The building of the school is a historical sight - it is more than 120 years old. Its history began in 1883 when the former School for Apprentices was founded, one of the greatest schools in Slovakia. First two classes of Girl’s Profes-sional School were opened here in 1991. There were two independent schools in one building for ten years. In 2008 the name of the school was changed into Secondary Vocational School.
There are several branches at school:
- 4-year study branches (Business and Enterprising, Transport Economics, Beautician and Stylist)
- 3-year study for apprentices (Car Mechanic, Electrician, Hairdresser, Photographer, Shop Assistant),
- 2-year follow-up courses (Transport Operation, Sales Manager, Hair Cosmetics).
http://www.zssnr.edu.sk
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