Page 18 - Šolsko polje, XXX, 2019, št. 5-6: Civic, citizenship and rhetorical education in a rapidly changing world, eds. Janja Žmavc and Plamen Mirazchiyski
P. 18
šolsko polje, letnik xxx, številka 5–6
Croatia is a democratic parliamentary republic with a separation of
three types of rule – legislative, executive and judicial. The unicameral
parliament is the highest representative body in the legislative branch and
can have between 100 and 150 representatives. National minorities have
eight representatives in the parliament. The head of state is the president
and the prime minister is the head of the government which consists of
20 ministers. There is a universal right to vote for all citizens 18 years old
and older. Croatia became the European Union member state in 2013. At
the last parliamentary elections in 2016, citizens’ turnout was a little over
50% while turnout to European parliament elections were still low (29%
in 2019, similar to Czech Republic and Slovenia).
The estimate of Croatian GDP per capita for 2018 was $27 664 which
positions Croatia at the back of EU member countries. The current unem-
ployment rate in Croatia (6,8%) is very similar to the EU average.
Description of the basic structure of the Croatian education system
The education system is in most areas centralized and the power lies at the
Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia. However,
the rights and duties of the founders of elementary schools are performed
by cities and counties for high schools1, and both have an important role
for allocating funds and cooperating with schools on staffing matters.
On the ISCED 0 level are nurseries for children under the age 3, fol-
lowed by the kindergartens and preschool programs. Preschool programs
are very unevenly dispersed and attended throughout the country (from
almost 90% of children in Zagreb to 19% of children in one Eastern Cro-
atia county), but on average the involvement is much lover that the over-
all EU average (95% in 2016, Eurostat). At the age of 6 and/or 7 years old,
children start attending primary education for a duration of eight years
(ISCED 1 and 2). Only primary schools are compulsory in Croatia and
the student-teacher ratio in primary education was, as measured in 2016,
14:1 (UNESCO). Secondary education has two main streams that rep-
resent ISCED 3 level: general education gymnasiums (4 year programs)
and vocational education (high schools with 3 to 5 year programs). Af-
ter secondary education, all gymnasium students are obliged to pass the
state matura exams and for vocational students these exams are voluntary,
needed in the case when VET students want to enrol to higher education
institution and continue their schooling.
1 Units of local government are municipalities (hrv. “općine”) and cities, and units of regional
government are counties (hrv. “županije”). In total there are 576 units of local and regional gov-
ernment of which there are 428 municipalities, 127 cities and 21 counties (note: Zagreb is both
capital city and county).
16
Croatia is a democratic parliamentary republic with a separation of
three types of rule – legislative, executive and judicial. The unicameral
parliament is the highest representative body in the legislative branch and
can have between 100 and 150 representatives. National minorities have
eight representatives in the parliament. The head of state is the president
and the prime minister is the head of the government which consists of
20 ministers. There is a universal right to vote for all citizens 18 years old
and older. Croatia became the European Union member state in 2013. At
the last parliamentary elections in 2016, citizens’ turnout was a little over
50% while turnout to European parliament elections were still low (29%
in 2019, similar to Czech Republic and Slovenia).
The estimate of Croatian GDP per capita for 2018 was $27 664 which
positions Croatia at the back of EU member countries. The current unem-
ployment rate in Croatia (6,8%) is very similar to the EU average.
Description of the basic structure of the Croatian education system
The education system is in most areas centralized and the power lies at the
Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia. However,
the rights and duties of the founders of elementary schools are performed
by cities and counties for high schools1, and both have an important role
for allocating funds and cooperating with schools on staffing matters.
On the ISCED 0 level are nurseries for children under the age 3, fol-
lowed by the kindergartens and preschool programs. Preschool programs
are very unevenly dispersed and attended throughout the country (from
almost 90% of children in Zagreb to 19% of children in one Eastern Cro-
atia county), but on average the involvement is much lover that the over-
all EU average (95% in 2016, Eurostat). At the age of 6 and/or 7 years old,
children start attending primary education for a duration of eight years
(ISCED 1 and 2). Only primary schools are compulsory in Croatia and
the student-teacher ratio in primary education was, as measured in 2016,
14:1 (UNESCO). Secondary education has two main streams that rep-
resent ISCED 3 level: general education gymnasiums (4 year programs)
and vocational education (high schools with 3 to 5 year programs). Af-
ter secondary education, all gymnasium students are obliged to pass the
state matura exams and for vocational students these exams are voluntary,
needed in the case when VET students want to enrol to higher education
institution and continue their schooling.
1 Units of local government are municipalities (hrv. “općine”) and cities, and units of regional
government are counties (hrv. “županije”). In total there are 576 units of local and regional gov-
ernment of which there are 428 municipalities, 127 cities and 21 counties (note: Zagreb is both
capital city and county).
16
