Public primary education in Ljubljana boasts an extensive network of public primary schools with their districts, meaning that all children attend the primary school near their home. The number of students in public primary schools in Ljubljana has been increasing since 2008. We responded to the increased needs for additional premises in schools with extensive infrastructural projects, the arrangement of new classrooms, as well as many adaptations and reconstructions of the interiors, playgrounds and other outdoor spaces.

By constructing extensions to the existing premises, renovations, reconstructions and adaptations in primary schools, capacities have been increased by 101 classes in total. In collaboration with the Municipality of Domžale, we also built a new primary school in Dragomelj. 

Therefore, at the end of 2017, 47 public schools were operating with 1,045 classes, which included 23,459 students. Special Education Centre Janez Levec had 217 students in 28 classes.

Web app of safe routes

We received the prestigious Eurocities 2013 award in the “Smart Living” category for the “Ensuring safety and equal opportunities in traffic to children and persons with disabilities” project, whose main part is the web app of safe school routes for Ljubljana primary schools.

Web app of safe school routes of City of Ljubljana

Premium standard in primary schools

For an even higher quality of education in Ljubljana primary schools, we are cofinancing organised morning childcare for 2nd and 3rd grade students. Depending on the needs of schools, we also co-finance the second 1st grade teacher in nine-year primary schools, counsellors, librarians, teachers in after-school classes, and escorts of physically disabled children as well as children with long-term illnesses. 

Educating children with special needs

• Education is also carefully adapted for young people with less opportunities. Special Education Centre Janez Levec Ljubljana offers primary education programmes for children and adolescents with special needs. The Employment Centre “Janez dela”, operating since 2014, provides integrated development, from schooling to permanent employment. With new approaches, we are stepping away from the traditional and strict school and are becoming a modern professional centre. 
• In 2013, we also established the state-of-the-art Educational Centre Pika within the Janez Levec Centre for the special educational training of professional teaching staff as well as for counselling parents of children with disabilities, which we also provide with financial resources for providing a premium standard. 
• The Counselling Centre for Children, Adolescents and Parents Ljubljana is a specialised, multidisciplinary public institution where comprehensive professional help has been provided to children, adolescents and their parents for already more than 60 years. 

Educational Centre Pika in the renovated premises of Poljane Primary School