This week’s news from Slovakia is dominated by political infighting and concerning educational trends. A dispute between Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko and his nominee, Tomáš Taraba, regarding contracts for sediment removal at the Gabčíkovo Dam has deepened existing tensions. This conflict has effectively paralyzed the governing coalition just one week before a scheduled parliamentary session. Simultaneously, data indicates that students in Slovakia, as well as across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations, have experienced a decline in academic performance, moving closer to Slovak levels. The founder and director of the Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies is also featured in the news. These events paint a picture of internal political struggles alongside broader educational challenges facing Slovakia and its international peers.