CROATIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

The education system in Croatia consists of : pre-school education, primary education, secondary education, higher education and lifelong learning and adult education.

PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION Pre-school education and child care are intended for children aged six months up to the primary school aged pupils. Employees are educational workers - educators, counselors, psychologists, therapists, speech therapists and nurses. Types of programs: 1.full-day programs 2. preschool programs 3. shorter programs

ADDITIONALLY OFFERED PROGRAMS: a) Early learning of foreign languages ​​(EN, FR, DE, IT, ES) b)Sports Programs: rhythimcs, dance, soccer, tennis... c) Programs for ill children (children who are in hospitals) d) Religious Programs (Catholic, Jewish, Protestant,in kindergartens...)

ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS: a) Kindergartens on the principles of Montessori pedagogy b) Waldorf kindergartens c) Kindergartens on the principle of pedagogy Agazzi

PRIMARY EDUCATION Compulsory for children aged 6 to 15 It is subdivided into: 1. CLASSROOM TEACHING - classes 1-4 (children aged 6 or 7 to 10 or 11) class teacher teaches subjects: the Croatian language, mathematics, science and society, arts, Music, Physical Education and class teacher's lesson; english teacher teaches English; religion teacher teaches religious classes - elective lessons 2. SUBJECT TEACHING – classes 5-8 ( pupils aged 10 or 11 to 14 or 15) each subject taught by subject teacher

ELECTIVE CLASSES : a second foreign language (usually German), religious education, informatics EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES : drama, school choir, dance group, football, handball... Class teacher has 20 hours of lessons a week directly working with students, subject teachers between 18 and 22 hours.

Teaching in most primary schools takes place in two shifts: morning shift from 8 a.m. and afternoon shifts from 2 p.m. Students in classrooms have 3-6 lessons a day, in subject teaching 5-7 lessons.. Lessons last for 45 minutes. Primary education is free, but books, textbooks and other school equipment must be paid and brought by students and their parents.

SECONDARY EDUCATION 1. Secondary Schools: a) High School - general or specialized (language, math...) - lasts 4 years b) Vocational schools - technical, industrial, trade... last from 1-4 years c) Art schools - music, dance, art.. last 4 years 2.Adult secondary education 3.Education of students with disabilities

At the end of the 4-year education secondary school students are required to take the state graduation exam (matura tests), and students of other schools can take the State graduation (matura) if they are in 4-year education. Secondary education is not compulsory and free of charge.

HIGHER EDUCATION 1.UNIVERSITY: a) Faculty b) The Academy of Arts 2.POLYTECHNICS AND COLLEGES Studies are paid, and for excellent students there is the possibility of getting a scholarship. Duration of education is 3 or 5 years.

SCHEME