Education of members of the Italian and Hungarian national minorities shall be a composite part of a unified education system and shall proceed in accordance with the regulations governing the field of education and the protection of pre-school children of primary and guided education, unless otherwise specified by law.

For the implementation of the special rights of the Italian and Hungarian national minorities and for the implementation of the equality of the languages of these nationalities with the Slovene language, educational organisations which perform educational work in the Slovene language and in the languages of the nationalities (hereinafter: bilingual educational organisations), and educational organisations which perform educational work in the language of a national minority (hereinafter: educational organisations in the language of the national minority) shall be founded in areas in which members of the national minorities live together with members of the Slovene nationality (hereinafter: ethnically mixed areas).

In bilingual educational organisations members of the Slovene nationality shall be educated together with members of the relevant national minority.

In educational organisations providing education in the language of a national minority, the students must learn the Slovene language. In educational organisations in these areas, providing education in the Slovene language, they must learn the language of the national minority, which provides the foundations for bilingual communication, understanding of the cultural and other values of both nationalities as well as deepening bilateral coexistence.

For realisation of the social aims and tasks from Article 3 of this Law, the study of the language of the national minority shall be organised at the appropriate university.

Educational organisations from the first paragraph of the preceding article shall be founded in areas which the statute of the municipality defines as ethnically mixed areas, in accordance with the regulations which apply to the foundation of individual types of educational organisations, and with this Law.

In bilingual educational organisations and in educational organisations in the language of a national minority, education shall proceed in accordance with an education programme, a programme of the life and work of primary schools or the educational programme for secondary school education, which shall be adapted to the work of these organisations in accordance with this Law.

The educational programme for the education and care of pre-school children must be adapted in such a way that, in addition to the realisation of aims and tasks defined by this Law, it shall also provide children with the opportunity to develop their mother tongue and to learn the basics of the Slovene language or the language of the national minority.

The programme of the life and work of the primary school and the educational programme in secondary school education, by which the members of the Italian or Hungarian national minorities shall be educated, shall be adapted in such a way that in addition to the aims and tasks defined by this law, they shall also consider the special historical, geographical and other achievements of their nation of origin as well as assure the respect of the national sentiment of these pupils.

Educational organisations in the language of the national minority and bilingual educational organisations, for which, because of a small number of pupils it is not practical to organise lessons by classes and departments, may organise a more flexible form of education of pupils, but they must entirely cover the subject matter of the curriculum for individual classes.

For the realisation of the aims and tasks of this Law, the educational organisations in which members of the national minorities are educated shall cooperate with corresponding institutions of their nation of origin, in compliance with annual work plans.

Educational work in educational organisations in the language of the national minority shall be conducted by or shall involve the cooperation of teachers, tutors, guardians, consultants and other professionals who are members of the corresponding national minority.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall not apply to teachers who teach the Slovene language.

If, for the educational work, it is not possible to secure suitably trained teachers, tutors, guardians, consultants or other professionals from among members of the national minority, this work may be performed by workers who are not members of the national minority.

In order to work in an educational organisation in the language of a national minority, teachers, tutors, guardians, consultants and other professionals must be fluent in the language of instruction, and for work in bilingual educational organisations, fluent in both languages of instruction.

Fluency in the language of the national minority as a language of instruction by workers from the preceding paragraph shall be acknowledged if they have completed secondary school, college or university in the minority language, or a bilingual secondary school or study of the minority language at an appropriate college or university.

Fluency in the Slovene language as a language of instruction for work in bilingual educational organisations shall be acknowledged if secondary school, college or university have been completed in the Slovene language or when bilingual secondary school has been completed.

Workers who do not meet the conditions of the first and second Paragraphs of this Article must pass a test in the language of instruction. The extent, content and manner of this test shall be defined by the republic administrative body competent for education.

Programmes of professional qualification of workers from Article 17 of this Law must include improvement in the knowledge of the language of instruction.

A resolution on the foundation, the temporary cessation of work or the abolishing of an educational organisation shall come into force when the Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia gives its consent supported by an equal resolution from the Assembly of the Educational Community.

Educational organisations of a national minority shall operate in the language of that nationality, while bilingual educational organisations shall operate bilingually.

In accordance with this Law, educational organisations shall issue diplomas and other documents in both languages.

Members of the Italian or Hungarian national minorities must also be among the pedagogic employees who perform consultant and supervisory work in educational organisations.

Source: Unofficial translation