President Pirc Musar honors top graduates, criticizes minister's absence

President Nataša Pirc Musar hosted a traditional ceremony at Brdo pri Kranju to honor 'diamond graduates'—students who achieved maximum possible points on their national exams. This year, 23 candidates reached the highest success in the general matura, 64 in the vocational matura, and three in the international matura.

During the event, the President emphasized the importance of a high-quality, inclusive, and demanding public education system. She noted that upcoming educational reforms represent both a great opportunity and a significant responsibility. She also addressed the challenges facing the youth, including economic uncertainty, artificial intelligence, and the climate crisis, urging them to maintain curiosity and ethical responsibility.

The ceremony was notable for the absence of the Minister of Education, Borut Rončević. President Pirc Musar described his absence as 'completely undignified,' stating that the minister should have attended to honor the students rather than for personal reasons. It was reported that the minister intended to hold a separate reception for the top graduates.