The school system in the Slovak Republic has accomplished significant achievements. Secondary-school attainment of the adult population (aged 25-64) is the highest within the OECD area. At the same time, upper secondary graduation rates for young people aged 25 or less are among the highest across OECD countries. By contrast, tertiary educational attainment is low by international comparison, although increasing enrolment rates imply the situation is gradually improving. Adults have literacy and numeracy skills around the OECD average but the performance of young adults is poorer by international comparison. Also, the Slovak Republic has a mixed set of student outcomes at the school level. Performance in international assessments indicates some improvement in reading at the primary level, but some significant and growing challenges at the secondary level. School location (urban or rural area) and the socio-economic background of students make a difference in student performance. There are also concerns about strong social selectivity in the school system, including misplacement of some students in special schools. In addition, the poor educational outcomes of the Roma minority remain a major policy challenge.