Slovakia's Education Minister Defends Digital School Enrollment System as Fairer for Families

Slovak Education Minister Ivan Drucker is standing by the country's ePrihlášky (eApplication) digital school enrollment system, arguing it has made the process of admitting children to primary schools more transparent and equitable. The ministry highlighted in particular the elimination of a practice known as 'blocking' places — where schools would effectively reserve spots before the official enrollment process, disadvantaging families who did not have advance connections or information. Under the ePrihlášky system, all applications are submitted digitally through a centralized platform, giving parents across Slovakia equal access to available school places at the same time. The ministry views this as a significant improvement in fairness, particularly for families without established ties to specific schools. The defense of the system comes amid broader debates in Slovakia about education reform and digitalization of public services. Critics of the old enrollment model had long argued that informal spot-reserving gave advantages to well-connected families, while the new digital approach aims to standardize and democratize access to school enrollment nationwide.