Tag Archives: Croatia

According to collegesanduniversitiesinusa, education in Croatia has its origins in the Middle Ages when a number of monasteries and churches established schools for children to learn Latin, Greek, and Croatian. By the 18th century, there were several universities established in Zagreb, Osijek, and Varazdin. During the 19th century, Croatia saw a massive expansion of its educational system with the establishment of numerous primary and secondary schools throughout the country. In the early 20th century, education became compulsory for all children aged 6-14 and by 1945 there were over 6000 schools operating in Croatia. After World War II, Croatia saw a further expansion of its educational system with an emphasis on technical and vocational training. By the late 20th century, Croatia had become one of Europe’s most highly educated countries with a literacy rate of 99%. Today, education is seen as an integral part of Croatian society with primary education lasting for eight years followed by four years of secondary school. Higher education is also accessible through numerous universities located throughout the country offering courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as humanities-based subjects such as history and philosophy. Political life in Croatia in 2009 was dominated by the government of Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, who had been in power since 2003. During his tenure, Sanader had pursued an agenda of economic liberalization and European integration, which had seen Croatia become a member of NATO and the European Union in 2009. The government was broadly center-right and focused on reducing public spending while encouraging foreign investment. In 2009, the ruling coalition included the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and the Croatian People’s Party (HNS). This coalition largely maintained its majority throughout 2009, but faced criticism from opposition parties for their handling of issues such as corruption and unemployment. In addition to this political environment, Croatia also saw a number of important developments during this period. These included increased cooperation with Bosnia-Herzegovina over border disputes and the arrest of former Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor for her alleged involvement in a corruption scandal. As a result, 2009 was a year of considerable political activity within Croatia as it attempted to build upon its newfound status as an EU member state. Check internetsailors for Croatia in 2011.