Legislation

The Chamber of Deputies of the Croatian State Assembly

1129

On the basis Article 89 of the Constitution of Republic of Croatia, I have decided to adopt

An Order

Proclaiming the Law on Upbringing and Education in the Language and Script of Ethnic Minorities

I proclaim the Law on Upbringing and Education in the Language and Script of Ethnic Minorities adopted by Chamber of Deputies of the Croatian State Assembly on May 11, 2000

Number: 01-081-00-1514/2

Zagreb, May 16, 2000

President

Of the Republic of Croatia

Stjepan Mesic

Article 1

1. Ethnic minorities in the Republic of Croatia shall implement their right to up bring and educate their children in their language and script in conformity with the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia and with the provisions of this Law.
2. This Law does not change or abolish the rights of national minorities to up bring and educate their children that were granted by previous regulations, based on International Treaties to which the Republic of Croatia is signatory.

Article 2

1. The upbringing and education of students in the language and script of national minorities shall be conducted in pre-school institutions, primary and secondary schools and in other types of educational institutions (seminar, summer and winter schools etc.) as stipulated by this Law.
2. In establishing the legal position of the educational institutions with education in the language and script of a national minority and in its administration, the provisions of other Laws and regulations shall be used where this Law does not decree otherwise.

Article 3

The educational institutions with education in the language and script of a national minority can be established for a smaller number of pupils than that determined for the establishment of the educational institutions with education in the Croatian language and script.

Article 4

1. Where an educational institution cannot be established under the conditions of Article 3 of this Law, the upbringing and education of students in the language and script of a national minority shall be conducted in a separate class or educational group.
2. The class and the educational group from the first paragraph of this Article may be established either in the educational institution using the language and script of the national minority or in the educational institution using the Croatian language and script.
3. The class and the educational group from the first paragraph of this Article can be established for a smaller number of pupils than that determined for the establishment of the class and the educational group with education in the Croatian language and script.

Article 5

The name of the educational institution using the language and script of a national minority and the text of its stamp and emblem shall be written both in the Croatian language and Latin script and in the language and script of the national minority.

Article 6

1. In addition to general education it shall be incumbent upon the curriculum and program for the upbringing and education of students in the language and script of a national minority to include special education on the characteristics of the national minority (its mother tongue, literature, history, geography and cultural creativity).
2. The special part of the curriculum and program given in paragraph 1 of this Article that includes the characteristics of the national minority shall be approved and promulgated by the Ministry of Education and Sport in accordance with the views obtained from the National Minority's Association.

Article 7

1. Enrolment into the educational institution, grade or educational group using the language and script of a national minority shall be conducted under the same conditions as enrolment into the educational institution with Croatian as the educational language and Latin script.
2. Where there are more successful applicants than places for enrolment in the educational institution, grade or educational group, preference shall be given to students who are members of national minorities.

Article 8

Students of the educational institution, class or educational group with education in the language and script of a national minority shall study the Croatian language and Latin script, according to the approved curriculum and program, as well as their own language and script.

Article 9

On territory where Municipal Statute approves the equality of use of the language and script of a national minority in administration, students of the educational institution with education in the Croatian language and script shall be permitted to study the language and script of the national minority.

Article 10

Education in the educational institution using the language and script of a national minority as a medium of instruction shall be conducted by teachers who belong to the national minority who have a good command of the minority language, or at least by teachers who are not members of national minority but have a good command of the minority language.

Article 11

1. The educational institution, grade or educational group with education in the language and script of the national minority shall document both in the Croatian language and Latin script and in the language of the national minority.
2. Public school records shall be issued by the educational institution as per the first paragraph of this Article in the Croatian language and Latin script and in the language and script of national minority, in conformity with the Law.

Article 12

1. At least half the governing body of the educational institution using the language and script of a national minority shall be the members of national minority.
2. More detailed provisions on the composition, conditions and means of choosing the governing body of the educational institution with education in the language and script of a national minority shall be approved by its own Code.
3. According to paragraph 1 of this Article, the Head of the school may be a member of national minority or not; but he/she shall have a good command of the minority language.

Article 13

For schools or institutions with education in the language and script of a national minority the Ministry of Education and Sport must ensure the required number of advisors and school inspectors who are members of the particular national minority, or at least who have a good command of the minority language.

Article 14

Training of teachers for the needs of educational institutions with education in the language and script of a national minority shall be conducted at schools in conformity with the Law, or they may master the language and script of the national minority by other means.

Article 15

General rules for textbooks shall be used in the publication of textbooks in the language and script of a national minority.

With the dispensation of the Ministry of Education and Sport, the educational institution with education in the language and script of a national minority may use textbooks from their country of origin.

Article 16

1. Finance for the regular work of the public educational institution, grade or educational group with education in the language and script of a national minority is provided from the State Budget.
2. The educational institution with education in the language and script of a national minority may use other sources of finance in conformity with the Law.

Article 17

The Minister of Education and Sport shall approve the curriculum and program of education in accordance with Article 6 of this Law at the latest six months from the day the Law becomes valid.

Article 18

The Minister of Education and Sport shall approve the regulations on the means by which the provisions of this Law on the Educational Institution with Education in the Language and Script of Ethnic Minority shall be adopted.

Article 19

The educational institution with educational program in the language and script of a national minority shall coordinate their general documents to the provisions of this Law at the latest three months from the approval of documents from Article 17 of this Law.

Article 20

From the day this Law comes into force it repeals the Law on Upbringing and Education in the languages of minorities ("Narodne novine" No 25/79).

Article 21

This Law comes into force on the eighth day following its publication in "Narodne novine".

Note: This is the unofficial English translation. The original text can be found on the website "Narodne Novine" http://www.nn.hr/.

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