Slovakia's ePrihláška system sparks opposition criticism over chaos and delays

Slovakia's opposition parties KDH and PS are voicing strong criticism against the new ePrihláška system for secondary school admissions, labeling it a source of chaos, uncertainty, and excessive bureaucracy. They contend that the digital process, intended to simplify admissions, has instead led to lengthy delays, leaving students and parents anxiously awaiting results for weeks.

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An evaluation algorithm should not decide a child's future. If a child is accepted into multiple schools, parents must have the final say. The state should not take decision-making out of the family's hands simply because the ministry's leadership opted for a central system.

Ján Horecký, a KDH representative and deputy chair of the education committee, stated that the system's core philosophy is flawed. "An evaluation algorithm should not decide a child's future. If a child is accepted into multiple schools, parents must have the final say. The state should not take decision-making out of the family's hands simply because the ministry's leadership opted for a central system," Horecký argued. The KDH is calling on the Minister of Education, Tomáš Drucker, to take responsibility, abolish or limit the automated evaluation, restore parental choice, and halt spending on parallel systems.

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The system is lengthy. A year ago at this time, admission results and appeals were already processed.

PS lawmaker Tina Gažovičová echoed these concerns, pointing out that the system, which cost 10 million euros, has failed in its promises of speed, simplicity, and transparency. "The system is lengthy. A year ago at this time, admission results and appeals were already processed," she noted. The opposition party Democrats also described the ePrihláška as a failed digital tool plagued by errors and system outages, stating it's unacceptable for the system to operate with faulty data and influence children's futures.

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The system failed in speed, simplicity, and transparency.

The Ministry of Education acknowledged the system's high traffic, attributing delays to an "extraordinarily high attendance" since Monday morning. However, critics argue that the system's failures are undermining the crucial decisions students make about their educational paths. The ongoing issues raise questions about the effectiveness and reliability of the centralized digital admissions process in Slovakia.

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It is unacceptable for the system to operate with faulty data and influence decisions about children's futures.