engleski

For Whom the School Bell Tolls: Minority Language Politics in the Croatian Educational System

The chapter presents the contemporary state of minority education in Croatia. It considers state legislation and experiences from students and teachers of minority languages, based on interviews and focus groups. Results show that the main negative aspect of minority education is the students’ feeling of segregation and ghettoisation. Other problems include lack of qualified teachers and using unofficial textbooks not approved by the Ministry of Education. Positive aspects of minority education include the possibility to continue studying in the country where the minority language is spoken, which helps to maintain language competence and identity. The chapter concludes that minority languages in the educational system is an exclusively political matter and gives recommendations for strengthening the capacities for minority language teaching and learning at all levels.

minority language politics ; multilingualism ; educational system ; Croatia

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