This year the national assessment of knowledge exams will be taken by 18.132 sixth graders and 17.281 ninth graders, reports the STA press agency. Both grades are testing their knowledge in mathematics today and on Friday they will take tests in Slovenian language. Next Tuesday sixth graders will also test themselves in foreign languages, while ninth graders will able to choose from subjects like physics, art, history or their first foreign language.
Those in 6th grade will get the results of their national assessment exams on the 7th of June, while ninth graders are to get their results on the 31st of May.

High school students will begin with their Matura exams with an essay in Slovenian language. This year's theme is "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way". Student works will also touch on Feri Lainšček's Ločil bom peno od valov (I Will Separate the Foam from the Waves) as well as Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.
The Matura exam will take place at 84 schools. A total of 7,003 candidates will be taking the exam for the first time (last year the number was 7,278 candidates). The numbers confirm an already known fact that the number of those who decide to do the Matura high school exit exam is falling.