Croatian education system in Serbia flourishes with scholarships
The Croatian National Council (HNV), an umbrella association of ethnic Croats in Serbia, has called on eighth-graders and their parents of Croatian descent in Vojvodina province to opt for continuing their education in Croatian at three secondary schools in Subotica.
This would help preserve and strengthen the Croatian-language education system, which currently includes around 1,000 pupils and approximately sixty teaching staff, according to Nataša Francuz, Chair of the HNV's Education Committee, CE Report quotes HINA.
She said that 28 pupils will be enrolled at each of the following schools in Subotica: the Grammar School, the Polytechnic School and the Secondary Medical School.
She highlighted that the schools offer attractive educational programmes.
In this context, Nataša Francuz also said that a total of 106 students of Croatian roots in Serbia will receive scholarships amounting to €1,750 per year, provided through the Central State Office for Croats Abroad.
According to the HNV, this scholarship programme by the Croatian government, intended for ethnic Croats in Serbia, will help the community to further strengthen its human resources, thereby ensuring a brighter future for survival and development.
500 pupils attend full-time classes in Croatian in 5 primary schools, 3 secondary schools in Subotica
In recent years, significant investments have been made in education in the Croatian language in Serbia.
"With support from Croatia, new nursery facilities have been built in Subotica and a kindergarten in the village of Tavankut. Textbooks have been provided for primary school pupils, school transport is funded, and both secondary school students and university students are entitled to scholarships. In addition, extracurricular programmes and activities are organised for all pupils," the HNV recalls.
Around 500 pupils currently attend full-time classes in Croatian in five primary schools and three secondary schools, while a similar number of children outside Subotica study the elective subject "Croatian Language with Elements of National Culture."
