Slovenia had the second lowest drop-out share in the bloc, while the level of graduations in tertiary education is above average, European Commission representatives said in Ljubljana on Friday.

The report shows satisfactory knowledge among nine- and fifteen-year-olds, especially in maths and natural sciences. Moreover, Slovenia also has an above-average share of secondary school students in vocational training.

The report was however critical of Slovenia's high number of university programmes and students who enrol only to enjoy the benefits that come with the status of a student, such as free health insurance until the age of 26.

The European Commission moreover believes that Slovenia provides too little funds for university education, which affects the quality of teaching.

The report also pointed out that there were significant differences by region in the results of national tests, indicating that the social and economic background of students has a strong effect on educational achievements.