DIRECTORS of primary schools confirmed that fewer first-graders than ever have registered to attend school in this year's registration process ending February 15.
Five years ago there was no problem filling the classrooms, the director of the elementary school at Mudroňova Street in Bratislava, Milan Holba, noted.
The number of children registering has dropped by 10 percent in 12 years. Over the last four years the number of first-year students has dropped by 17 percent.
Observers say that Roma families are improving the figures, as they have an average of 4 children, compared to 1.2 children in non-Roma families, according to statistics. Education professionals say that there are not enough schools in several areas of Slovakia that have high Roma populations.
17. Feb 2003 at 0:00 | From press reports of TASR and SITA
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