Initial vocational education and training (IVET) up to the level of higher professional schools isgoverned by the Act on pre-school, basic, secondary, higher professional and other education(the School Act). From 1 January 2005 a new School Act3 came into effect. It replaces theexisting law and other scattered, incoherent and often amended legal regulations. The new actstipulates the conditions under which education takes place in schools and their facilities,defines the rights of individuals and legal entities in education, and establishes theresponsibilities of state and self-administrations. At the same time, ministerial decrees andother regulations entered into force which elaborate on the stipulations in the law in moredetail.