Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

What do the latest PISA results reveal about the skills of Slovak students? The OECD’s 2025 assessment points to some stabilisation, but also persistent challenges in reading, mathematics and inequalities linked to students’ backgrounds. Slovakia’s Education Minister Tomáš Drucker discusses the results, the impact of the digital world and how ongoing education reforms aim to respond.

Extreme heat is becoming an economic challenge for Slovak businesses, affecting productivity, revenues and the everyday operation of companies. Looking back at the summer of 2026, Vladimir Otrachshenko from the National Bank of Slovakia explains which sectors are most vulnerable to rising temperatures and why investing in adaptation could help firms reduce future losses.

This week the 21st Fjuzn Festival kicks off in Bratislava. Fjuzn is unique and is the largest multi-genre and multicultural event focused on migration and foreigners in Slovakia with national and international significance. Ben Pascoe sat down with one of the organizers, Veronika Fishbone Vlčková, to find out more about this year's festival.

In honour of the special day in Slovakia, we take a look back at some interviews explaining where this tradition comes from and why it is celebrated here.

The fourth edition of our summer series HerStories from the Capital: Remarkable Women of Bratislava brings together three women whose lives took very different paths, yet each left a lasting mark in our Capital. Bratislava tour guides Ľubomíra Černáková and Katarína Blšták Čatlošová introduce us to Helena Turcerová Devečková, a pioneering scholar, author and translator; Zdenka (Cecília) Schelingová, a religious sister who became a symbol of courage and resistance under the communist regime; and Erna Masarovičová, an influential sculptor who challenged the conventions of a male-dominated art world.

As always, the programme concludes with a new edition of our language corner, Slovak Sound Check.

Breaking headlines of the week and feature teasers from RSI English section editors.

Throughout the summer, RSI has been running a series of readings from Slovak literature in English translation. For our English-speaking audience, we’ve been bringing you The Book of Bratislava, an anthology published in the UK by the independent publishing house Comma Press. Now, we’re bringing the series to a close with an excerpt from Eva Vozárová’s story-essay Summer in Bratislava, translated by Paul Kaye. This reading will feature a special guest and a special audio recording. The culture tip for English speakers is the Bratislava World Music Festival. Inviting is its co-founder and programming director Vladimir Potančok.

REPRÍZA: Marking the 30th anniversary of Child Safety Helpline, this programme examines the current state of mental health among children and minors in Slovakia. Through insights from child helpline professionals, special education teacher Jana Merašická, and a researcher from The Research Institute of Child Psychology and Pathopsychology, we explore how children’s psychological needs have changed over the past decades, what challenges dominate today, and where the system still falls short.

The new school year has brought several changes to Slovakia, including the launch of the country’s biggest education reform in the past 20 years. At a press conference, Education Minister Tomáš Drucker, Petra Fridrichová, Director of the Formal Education Support Department at NIVaM and co-author of the new State Educational Programme, Chairwoman of the Association of Primary Schools of Slovakia Eva Horníková, President of the Slovak Chamber of Teachers Jarmila Javorková, and other experts discussed why the reform

was needed and what it will mean for pupils, teachers and schools. Educators from the field also shared their perspectives and experiences with the changes.

Octavia McKenzie premiers her new series Slovakia Through My Eyes

Ben Pascoe visits the special centenary exhibit at the Slovak Radio building with a special guest and introduces you to our newest colleague Octavia.

Why do people give? What does generosity really mean, and what shapes charitable behavior in Slovakia compared to other countries? To explore these questions, we speak with experimental and behavioral economist Matej Lorko. We discuss what behavioral economics reveals about human decision-making, how economists study altruism in laboratory settings, and whether charitable giving is driven more by empathy, moral values, or subtle forms of self-interest. We also examine how experimental research can inform public policy, support the nonprofit sector, and deepen our understanding of cooperation, trust, and prosocial behavior in modern societies.

In the latest episode of Slovak Sound Check, we learn useful vocabulary for outdoor activities — from cycling and hiking to swimming, camping and outdoor grilling.