Education to acquire professional competence
In an effort to improve the quality of information about the activities of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport in the field of sport of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as the "Ministry"), your contact person for information on education to acquire professional competence in sport is Dárius Siheľský.
Acquisition of professional competence to perform professional activities – trainer / instructor
From 1 January 2022, in order to obtain professional competence to perform professional activities "coach" according to Section 83 and to perform professional activities "instructor" according to Section 84 of Act No. 440/2015 Coll. on Sport and on Amendments to Certain Acts (hereinafter referred to as the "Sports Act"), education is provided exclusively:
a) a higher education institution through a faculty that implements first-cycle or second-cycle study programmes in a field of study
1. sport, or
2. Teaching of arts and education subjects (coach only),
b) secondary sports school,
c) a national sports association in cooperation with a faculty of a higher education institution that implements first-level or second-cycle study programmes in the field of sport.
If there is no national sports association for any sport in the Slovak Republic, the tasks of the national sports association are performed by the sports organization according to Sections 83 to 85 of the Sports Act. Cooperation between a national sports federation or sports organization is concluded through a cooperation agreement, in which both parties undertake to provide education in accordance with the Sports Act and the Decree of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic No. 110/2016 Coll. on Vocational Training for the Acquisition of Professional Competence in Sport. The cooperation agreement explicitly mentions the sport/sports branch in which the successful graduate acquires his/her professional competence and the type of sports sports expert (coach/instructor).
If a natural person has acquired professional competence to perform the professional activity of a sports expert in an accredited educational facility that has been accredited pursuant to Section 103 (1) of the Sports Act, their certificate of professional competence has ceased to be valid no later than 31 December 2021.
Acquisition of professional competence to perform professional activities – wellness worker (massage services)
By 31 December 2021 at the latest, the documents on professional competence to perform the professional activity of "sports masseur", for which education was provided by accredited educational facilities in the form of a course of "classical and sports massage", or similar educational activities, ceased to be valid. From 1 January 2019, it is possible to perform massage services outside the medical facility only after acquiring the qualification (professional competence) – "Wellness worker – massage services".
Options for obtaining this qualification:
1. A natural person acquires a partial qualification by completing the training programme "Wellness Worker – Massage Services" in one of the accredited bodies. After successfully passing the graduate exam, the graduate cannot perform massage services in his own name, but only as, for example, an employee of a wellness facility (under the supervision of a fully qualified person).
2. A natural person shall acquire a full qualification by passing an examination to verify professional competence. This exam is currently carried out only by the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of Comenius University in Bratislava. The exam can only be taken by a person who
a) proves proof of completion of the educational programme "Wellness Worker – Massage Services" and successful completion of the graduate examination, or
b) proves at least 5 years of experience in the field of classical or sports massage – this professional experience is proved by a certificate from the employer in the field of classical or sports massage (in the case of practice in dependent activity) or by an affidavit and submission of a certificate from the social insurance company (in the case of experience as a self-employed person).
