This thesis discusses the characteristics of elementary school education of adults with special focus on their literacy in Slovenia in a time when our country was a part of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia (FPRY) (1945-1963) and later on the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) (1963-1991). This topic is still very current, despite a changed view on illiteracy and constant social efforts on its removal from adult education – there is still a percentage of adults who have not finished elementary school and have thus not gained basic education. In the theoretic part of the thesis education of adults is first described generally. This is followed by the social and political order of FPRY and SFRY and the education of adults in Slovenia at that time. The theoretic part is concluded by elementary schools for adults and illiteracy. In the empirical part, both of the mentioned time periods are compared through analysing historical sources, according to four key indicators – 1) statutory regulation, 2) programmes, 3) attendance, and 4) the organisation and institutions of elementary school education of adults. The results show that elementary school education and literacy of adults were better during the time of SFRY. This was confirmed through comparison of all the above mentioned indicators – it was better arranged legally, the education programmes were more extensive and the number of participants was higher than during the time of FPRY, despite the regressive share of illiterate people and elementary school students who did not finish their education. The reason for that is better organization and greater consideration for the needs of adults.
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