The EFA 2000 Assessment: Country Reports
Croatia

CONCLUDING CONSIDERATIONS

EFFICIENCY OF EFA STRATEGY, PLAN, AND PROGRAM

EFA strategy in the area of primary education of children has been maintained on a satisfactory level. Only, this is not true when speaking of the education of adults. In fact, the strategy of education of adults is unsatisfactory due to unresolved system of funding.

Among the important achievements of EFA is for sure the fact that the primary education of children was never suspended or interrupted, not even in the times of the raging aggression, although the education was provided to many children outside their places of residence (in the Republic of Croatia and in neighboring countries).

MAJOR PROBLEMS

The major problems that have been slowing down the process of reaching EFA goals are consequences of the parallel and simultaneous process of transition of the economy and aggression against the Republic of Croatia. Both factors produced negative effects on GNP and consequently on expenditures for meeting all kinds of needs in the education of children and adults.

It is certain that this problem will be smaller once the transition process is over, and the recovery from material destruction caused by war is completed, and the economy revitalized.

SOCIAL MOBILIZATION, POLITICAL WILL, AND CAPACITIES OF THE COUNTRY

In the Republic of Croatia, the public support to primary education of children is very expressive. This is apparent from the data on the rate of children covered by the compulsory basic education, which has been for decades at the level of 100 percent of the population aged 6 or 7 to 14 or 15 years.

As already stressed, the public support to the education of adults is relatively good.

GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS

The inherited education system at the end of school year 1989/90 was largely adjusted to the self-governmental socialist and atheist view and the planned economy of the former Yugoslavia. The system included education of preschool age children (up to 6 years old), primary school age children (6 to 14 years old), secondary school age children (14 to 18 years old) and academic level (18 to approximately 24 years old). The system covered regular pupils and students, pupils with developmental difficulties, pupils from ethnic minorities in Croatia, and the children of Croatian citizens worldwide. Homes for children and pupils were also included in the system as funds for various subventions, and everything else that related to the social standard of children covered by the education system.

Upon disintegration of former Yugoslavia in 1990, the new system was gradually built to meet the needs of the politically independent Republic of Croatia and all elements proven as good in the old system were preserved. Immediately after the new Croatian state was established, the changes took place:

• deideological transformation of educational system,
• removal of ideology-oriented subjects and reinstitution of catechism in schools allowed the free choice of religious education and freedom of conception of the universe,
• the ideas of the planned economy were replaced with market-oriented and free-enterprise initiatives,
• the old Yugoslav homeland principle was substituted with Croatian,
• the new curricula were adjusted to the European and international pedagogic, professional and scientific principles (disburdening pupils, larger number of optional programs, education based on principles of the true humanism)
• thoughtfully designed and applied new model of preparation of funding and publishing textbooks,
• grammar schools were re-instituted as well as craftsmen schools and changes were made to other vocational schools,
• church-based schools were reintegrated into the unique education system,
• private and alternative schools were allowed,
• funding policy changed.

It is necessary to mention that all these changes occurred in the war and post war times. The conditions of life, work and education then imposed difficulties in achieving the set goals.

Despite all this, it must be pointed out that the Croatian education system, and especially its basic education segment is open to further changes and educational pluralism. The goal is to follow the recommendations, resolutions and other relevant documents of international organizations.