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U.S. English Foundation Research CROATIA
Language Research6. Language in everyday life: The use of language in everyday life, e.g. education, broadcasting, and otherMembers of national minorities have the right to be taught in their mother tongue at all levels of schooling, including pre-school, primary, secondary and college levels. The right to education and schooling in the languages of ethnic and national communities, was utilized by members of 12 minority groups in 1997; Albanians, Austrians, Czechs, Hungarians, Germans, Roma, Ruthenians, Slovaks, Serbs, Italians, Ukrainians and the Jews, mainly at pre-school and primary school levels. A smaller number of minorities utilized the right at secondary level and only the Italian community organized college level education, with college level education for the Slovaks in a preparatory phase. Teachers in most cases were members of the respective minorities and education was being organized in municipalities where members of the respective ethnic and national communities lived. Education and schooling in the languages of minorities was an inseparable part of the national schooling system and was financed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia. There were three models according to which education and schooling in the respective minority languages were carried out and special educational model in Istria. In some localities, minority formed majority and members of other nationalities had obligatory classes of respective minority language. The Croatian TV and Croatian Radio prepare programs and news in the languages of minorities. Eight of the local radio stations are broadcasting for minorities living in Croatia. Italians, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Germans, Austrians and Jews have such customized programming. Members of minorities can publish newspapers and magazines in their respective languages, and Italians, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Ruthenians, Ukrainians, Serbs, Germans, Austrians, Jews, Albanians, Roma, Montenegris and Macedonians are currently publishing some form of periodical. Some institutions are now publishing textbooks for members of ethnic and national minorities. Members of ethnic and national communities or minorities have the right to cultural autonomy. Members of a total of 13 minorities have established their cultural societies within which they are preserving their respective cultures and customs. The Republic of Croatia is also helping to promote the development of relations between ethnic and national communities and minorities with their country of origin, in order to promote their national, cultural and linguistic heritage and preserves their national identity. Updated (August 2002) EDUCATION As an example of practicing the law on education system (see "Legislation dealing with the use of languages," August 2002) here are some data on several minority language educational programs: Pupils who are in a minority program in the Italian language:
Pupils who are in a minority program in the Czech language:
Pupils who are in the Slovak language program:
Pupils in a Hungarian minority program:
Pupils who are in the Serbian language and culture program:
MEDIA The role of media is important in spreading consciousness of living in a multicultural society. There are independent publishers like "Edit" in Rijeka covering Italian minority, "Jednota," located in Daruvar covering Czech minority, "The Union of Hungarians in Croatia" publishing an illustrated weekly "Magyar Ujsag" in Hungarian. The Serb cultural society "Prosveta" is a publisher of books, newspapers, and textbooks. There is also an Italian drama theatre in Rijeka, Center for historical research in Rovinj, folk and culture groups and societies, broadcasting TV programs for ethnic and national minorities. The programs cover news, documentaries, music, etc. what enables the viewers or listeners to be conscious that other culture exists in their neighborhood or region. There are 52 registered societies that beside Croatian use one of the minority languages. Source: Summary Presentation on Minority Languages in Croatian Educational System by Nada Jakir, Head of the Department for Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation at the Ministry of Education and Sports of Croatia, Conference in Latvia, April 19-21, 2001, http://www.eyl2001.hr/en/riga.html Updated (April 2003) MULTILINGUALISM AND MINORITY PROTECTION IN CROATIA A circular letter signed by the Minister of Justice, Ingrid Antivecic Marinovic, has resolved a five-year old dispute regarding the bilingual (Croatian-Italian) Region of Istria. It all began in 1998, when a bilingual sign has been removed from the regional palace of Pazin-Pisino. The fact that the Constitutional Court legitimized this step led to a strong opposition not only from the representatives of the Italian minority but also from other institutions in Istria. According to the circular prepared by the Ministry, the bilingual sign will be restored. The local press anticipates it will happen next month. Source: Eurolang News, Turin, March 17, 2003, by Marco Stolfo, http://217.136.252.147/webpub/eurolang/pajenn.asp?ID=4144 Updated (April 2007) THE RIGHTS TO EDUCATION OF PERSONS BELONGING TO NATIONAL MINORITIES IN MOTHER TONGUE AND SCRIPT
The right to education in mother tongue and script of persons belonging to national minorities in the Republic of Croatia is regulated by the provisions of the Article 11 of the Constitutional Law on the Rights of National Minorities (CLNM), provisions of the Law on Education in the Language and Script of National Minorities (LELSNM), and is exercised in accordance with relevant international instruments.
Persons belonging to national minorities educated in their native language and script have the right and are obliged to learn also the official language of the country where they live.
The education of persons belonging to a national minority is performed in pre-school institutions, primary and secondary schools and other school institutions with the education in the language and script of particular national minority, as well as in other forms of education (seminars, summer and winter schools etc.). Universities organize and conduct the education for kindergarten and school teachers who use the language and script of a national minority on the components containing characteristics of a national minority.
Education of students belonging to national minorities is conducted based on three models of organization and performance of teaching:
Model A - the entire teaching is performed in the language and script of a national minority with the obligation to teach Croatian language and the language of respective minority for the same number of hours. The students have the right and are obliged to learn additional subjects important to their minority community. This kind of a teaching model is conducted in a special institution, but can also be performed in an institution with Croatian as the language of instruction where a minority language and script is taught in special classes;
Model B - the teaching is conducted bilingually; natural sciences are taught in Croatian language whilst social science classes are taught in the language of a minority. Teaching is conducted in an institution with Croatian as the language of instruction;
Model C - the teaching is performed in Croatian language with additional five school hours intended for training of language and culture of a national minority. Additional five school hours per week include teaching about the language and literature of a national minority, geography, history, music, and art.
Special forms of education (seminars, summer and winter schools, correspondent and consultative classes) are organized for those students for whom it is impossible to organize regular classes in accordance with the models A, B, or C. Ministry of Science, Education and Sport co-finances organization and performance of these special forms of teaching.
All models of organization and performance of teaching in minority language and script are integral part of the education system of the Republic of Croatia, and the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport finances the expenses. The Ministry provides for the additional specific purpose funds for co-financing of translation and production of textbooks, professional training of teachers, student competition expenses, etc.
A SHORT OVERVIEW ON EDUCATION OF PERSONS BELONGING TO NATIONAL MINORITIES IN EASTERN CROATIA
According to the 2001 census results, eastern Croatia comes under the areas in the Republic of Croatia with the highest concentration of different national minorities. Persons belonging to national minorities make around 20 percent of the entire population of Vukovar-Sirmium County and around 13 percent of the population in Osijek-Baranja County.
Seven minority communities in eastern Croatia exercise the right to education in their mother tongue and script in accordance with one or two previously explained models: Serbian and Hungarian in accordance with the model A and C; Slovakian, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, German and Austrian in accordance with the model C. Only Hungarian community exercises teaching in accordance with the model A in specially registered institutions in the area of Osijek-Baranja County with 253 students in total in Educational and Cultural Hungarian Center in Osijek (primary and secondary education), in primary schools in Lug and Zmajevac; and in primary school in Korodj in the area of Vukovar-Sirmium County.
Serbian students (around 3.500) are being educated in the Serbian language and Cyrillic script in six special primary schools and seventeen mixed (primary and secondary) schools in the areas of Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Sirmium Counties. Although in practice, these schools work as special minority schools with teaching in Serbian language and Cyrillic script, they are not officially registered as such. Institutions in charge did not meet the requests of Serbian community representatives despite the positive opinion on this initiative by the Ministry in charge and the Vukovar-Sirmium County passed in 2002. However, it is possible that one primary school in the village of Trpinja is soon to be officially registered as the school with education in the Serbian language and Cyrillic script - they have already issued the approval by the Vukovar-Sirmium County as their founder.
Organization and application of teaching in accordance with the model C is not significantly problematic in eastern Croatia. However, the Committee of Experts for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages have encouraged the Croatian authorities to strengthen education in primary schools for the Slovak, Ruthenian and Ukrainian languages and to at least introduce the teaching of the Slovak, Ruthenian and Ukrainian languages within secondary education.
Even though significant funds for translation, production, acquiring and printing of primary school textbooks in languages and scripts of national minorities were provided; still, not all the needs are satisfied. This problem mostly affects students belonging to less numerous minority communities, but also around 40 percent of primary school textbooks in the Serbian language and Cyrillic script need to be ensured to fulfill the needs of Serbs. Furthermore, the Ministry in charge is aware of the fact that they need to produce new textbooks that would comply with the Knowledge Catalogue and the Croatian National Education Standard (CNES).
Provision of adequate secondary school textbooks remains problematic for the students belonging to particular minorities and can influence decision by certain students to choose the education in their mother tongue and script. However, the Ministry intensively works on the establishment and bringing of school curriculum plans and programs whose content is related to the specific characteristics of a national minority which was to be done by the end of 2000, after the Law on Education was passed.
Although the LELSNM does not establish the minimal number of the students required for setting up a class or a group to be educated in particular minority language and script, the Ministry has shown a high level of understanding for the requests by minority communities. In the town of Beli Manastir, for example, the Ministry approved establishment of a class with teaching in the Serbian language and Cyrillic script for only five students whilst in Educational and Cultural Hungarian Center in Osijek they have approved establishment of a class with only four students. The Ministry did not receive any written complaint for denial of the right to education in accordance to any of the educational models that a minority community decided on.
Source: MIRIS - Minority Rights Information System "Ljubomir Mikic: Exercise of the Rights to Education of Persons Belonging to National Minorities in Mother Tongue and Script in Eastern Croatia", Coalition for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2006 dev.eurac.edu:8085/mugs2/do/blob.pdf?type=pdf&serial=1172056410038
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