The Republic of Croatia is considered a presidential/parliamentary democratic republic, with the seat of government in the capital city, Zagreb. The country declared its independence from Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991.

The Ministry of Science, Education and Sports is responsible for the pre-school, primary and secondary school educational system, domestic and international education. It also oversees education plans and programmes; textbooks, regulations, standards for educational work; development of the educational system; professional education and the development of pre-school teachers, teachers and professors; standards for pupils; inspection and professional and pedagogic supervision; setting up and supervision of conformity to the law of institutions and ensuring the financial and material prerequisites for education; qualifications for young people and adults in the acquisition of technical knowledge and skills; activities of non-governmental organizations in the area of education and training.

The Croatian educational system provides educational services at the following levels: pre-school, primary, secondary and tertiary (higher education), and an adult education system. Special attention is given to the principle of lifelong learning with the aim of including adults and the unemployed in flexible educational and training programmes to prepare them for active participation in the labour market.
Pre-school education in the Republic of Croatia encompasses education and care of the children of preschool age, realized though educational, health care, nourishment and social care programs for children from six months of age until school age.
Eight-year elementary (primary) education in the Republic of Croatia is compulsory and free for all children between the ages of six and fifteen.
Following elementary education, secondary education enables everyone, under equal terms and according to one’s capabilities, to acquire knowledge and skills required for work or continuation of education.
Higher education is implemented in universities, polytechnics and schools of professional higher education.
Pre-school Education
The Republic of Croatia offers numerous possibilities for a high-quality organization of preschool education to all legally capacitated persons in accordance with the legal regulations.
Preschool activity has been regulated as a sub-system of education of the Republic of Croatia since 1997. It should be pointed out that 99 percent of children in the Republic of Croatia in the year before enrolment into school are included in the preschool education programmes, both in regular kindergarten programmes and preschool programmes.
Local communities are most frequently the founders of daycare centers, and they finance pre-school activities in their area. Such communities also have the greatest responsibility to organize pre-school education. Pre-school education for children from the age of six months to six years forms the core of early childhood education. This helps to reduce differences in social background and learning abilities, and meets the child’s developmental needs as closely as possible while preparing children for their entry primary school. Facilities, staff and resources are recommended in order to include all children in preschool education programmes, and particularly in preparation programmes for school.
Primary Education (compulsory age 7-14)
Eight-year elementary education in the Republic of Croatia is compulsory and free for all children at the age of six to fifteen. This refers to all children with permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia, irrespective of their citizenship.
There are three segments of elementary education.  Compulsory elementary education conducted in regular elementary schools and special institutions for students with developmental difficulties, art education in elementary music and dance schools, and elementary education of adults conducted in regular schools and specialized institutions.
Elementary music education is also conducted in certain regular elementary schools, as a separate educational program.
Regular schools were mostly founded by the units of local self-government and the towns (828), while some were established by other physical and legal persons (10). In private elementary schools alternative elementary education is available according to special pedagogical principles (Waldorf, Montessori). Education of children with more significant developmental difficulties is conducted in 21 special institutions.  Art education is conducted in 56 institutions, 3 of which are private. Education of the representatives of national minorities is carried out in 24 elementary schools, where the program is conducted in the language and writing of a relevant national minority, while 61 elementary schools have classes with program conducted in the language and writing of a relevant national minority.
In addition to 838 elementary schools in the elementary education system we also have the following: special schools, the total of 21 (3 special schools founded by the counties, 16 special schools founded by the towns and municipalities, and 2 special schools founded by other physical and legal persons) and art schools, the total of 56 (13 art schools founded by the counties, 38 art schools founded by the towns and municipalities, and 5 art schools founded by other physical and legal persons.

The priority for primary education is to raise the quality and efficiency of pupils’ learning, and to develop the necessary knowledge and skills that will support the pupils’ personal development. A priority is also to help pupils complete their primary education with the aim to continue their education regardless of capabilities, gender and religious, national or regional affiliation or social status.

In an effort to create schools tailored to pupils, the Croatian National Education Standard (CNES) was developed as the basis for changes in programming and teaching methods in primary education. CNES introduced contemporary teaching methods based on investigative learning, indipendent and group work and applicable knowledge and skills.
The orientation of the Croatian and national educational policy towards creating and developing a knowledge-based society is contained in the document titled Education Sector Development Plan for 2005-2010.
The changes have been initiated on all the levels of the educational system. The basic objective of the change is to improve the quality and advance the educational system on all levels.

Secondary School (optional 4 years / age 15-18)
Secondary education provides everyone, upon the completion of primary schooling, under equal conditions and based on individual capability, the opportunity to acquire knowledge and the competence needed to enter the work force and to undertake further education.
Secondary education is provided by secondary school institutions and other legal persons and includes various types and forms of instruction, education, qualification and training that are carried out pursuant to the provisions of the Primary and Secondary School Education Act.
Secondary school institutions are: secondary schools and pupil's dormitories.
Secondary school programs are as follows:
•    secondary school diploma programmes;
•    secondary profession degree programmes;
•    basic professional degree programmes;
•    qualification and training programmes.

Secondary education refers to programmes in grammar schools (“gimnazija”), art schools, four-year vocational schools (technical, economic, health, etc.), as well as three-year vocational schools and programmes for adult education and training. Since the school year 2003/2004, numerous craft and trade programmes have been unified in terms of content and practical training requirements.
Secondary schools, depending on the type of instruction plan and program they offer, are as follows:
•    Gymnasiums (general or specialised) carry out an instructional plan and program of at least four years, at the end of which a pupil receives a secondary school diploma.
•    Vocational or trade schools (technical, industrial, trade and others, as defined by the type of instructional plan and program they offer) carry out an instructional plan and program of from one to five years, at the end of which pupils receive a secondary professional degree, and programs of from one to two years, at the end of which pupils receive a basic professional degree.
•    Art schools (music, dance, visual arts and others, defined by the type of instructional plan and program they offer) carry out an instructional plan and program of at least four years, at the end of which a pupil receives a secondary professional degree.
Grammar school programmes enable students to acquire extensive general education knowledge, which is an excellent basis for continuing education in higher education institutions. Students may enrol in any of four types of grammar school programmes: general, language, natural sciences and mathematics, and classics. Out of the total of 79.2% of primary school graduates who enrol in secondary school, 29% enrol in grammar and 2.5% in arts programmes. Most of those who enrol in arts programmes continue their education at arts academies.
Grammar school students will pass national school graduation examinations beginning in 2009, and students of four-year vocational and arts schools starting in 2010. The state “matura” examination will contribute to the unification of student educational competencies and facilitate access to higher qualified candidates.

Secondary education for adults includes special programs for secondary school diplomas, secondary professional degrees, basic professional degrees, retraining programs and qualification and training programs.
The education of pupils with developmental difficulties is organised in secondary schools with the use of individualised procedures in regular or special class departments and education groups, while pupils with greater difficulties in development are educated in special institutions.

Primary school

There are two ways to study music: within regular classes (from the first to the eighth grade, one hour per week) and within extracurricular musical activities. The reform of the Croatian educational system, especially the introduction and implementation of the Croatian National Educational Standard, brought important innovations and modernisation into music teaching. The aim of music education in primary schools was then directed towards the development of general music culture, establishing and acquiring valuable standards for critical and aesthetic music evaluation.
According to the Teaching Plan and Programme from 2006, music culture lessons are pervaded by two fundamental principles: psychological, according to which pupils like music and want to take an active part in it, and cultural-aesthetic, which emphasises that lessons enable pupils to become competent users of music culture. Taking into consideration the child's development and the conception of music teaching from the psychological viewpoint, e.g. the child's need to play music actively - to sing, play instruments, dance, improvise and integrate gradually with the socio-cultural (cultural-aesthetic) principle, it is necessary for a society to form a cultural and an educated citizen with established cultural-aesthetic needs.
The new programme concentrates on pupils’ musical activity, not the teaching contents. The new programme enables pupils to take up music at school, to listen to it and get acquainted with it, to sing and play it. Pupils gain basic knowledge about musical components through their active participation in performing songs, interpretation and active listening to music. The approach of the new programme is developmental, and it influences acquisition of true, musical knowledge and formation of listening repertory and pupils' musical taste.
At primary schools, music culture lessons led by a music teacher start in the fourth grade. According to the Teaching Plan and Programme (2006) there are four teaching fields implemented in the fourth grade: singing, listening to music and exploring music, music performance, music literacy and music games. In the fifth and sixth grade the field of music games has been replaced by the field of free, improvised rhythm, movements in connection with music, dance and playing instruments, while other fields are repeated. In the seventh and eighth grade teaching fields are singing, listening to music and exploring music, with optional playing (the synthesizer), creativity and computer (MIDI equipment).
By the end of primary school, with carefully planned and quality music lessons, pupils can learn and get acquainted with a certain number of songs (artistic, traditional, popular), learn and recognise different music components and fundamental musical varieties, improve their knowledge on the Croatian and world's musical heritage, acquire main concepts about general music culture, and develop, improve and promote their music skills.
Experiences pupils gain during music lessons can contribute to their connection with music; they can sing or play in an amateur ensemble and attend concerts in their town and the surroundings.
Primary school comprises various music teaching fields. As already mentioned, listening to music and exploring music hold a central place in contemporary primary school education. The aim of listening to music is its exploring and development of musical taste, while the contents constitute a work of art. We nowadays believe that a person of culture is not the one who plays music greatly, but the one who knows and understands music.
Extracurricular activities are an integral part of the Croatian educational system. As a part of primary education, every pupil encounters a possibility to choose various extracurricular activities beside regular classes. Extracurricular activities develop pupils’ individual abilities, skills and achievements, as well as their creativity.
Primary school offers different extracurricular musical activities comprising of vocal-instrumental music playing, dancing and various types of musical creativity. The most frequent extracurricular musical activities are choral singing, solo singing, playing an instrument (individual and group playing), musical creativity, song composition, dancing, folklore and musical projects. In this way pupils spend their free time in a planned and organised manner. They participate in one or more activities, develop their skills, improve their knowledge, they are creative and innovative, they work individually or in groups, exchange their experiences and work on certain project and spend their free time in a quality and useful manner.

Table 1: Music hours per week in 8-year primary school

Secondary school

MUSIC ART in the gymnasium

Teaching Musical art in high school wants to expand the musical education of students, to develop their musical identity, musical inclinations and dispositions, skills and knowledge. Particular importance is given to active participation in the life of their communities, performing in amateur music societies, regular visits to concerts, theater and other musical events.

The aim of the Musical art is an understanding of world music and cultural heritage, active listening and elaboration of music.
The tasks of Musical art are:
• develop an interest in musical art;
• develop the capacity for critical listening;
• recognize the ethical and the aesthetic value of art music of world and national heritage;
• distinguish features musical acts, depending on the style period through active listening;
• compare the valuable artistic achievements of Croatian composers as part of European musical criteria;
• encourage students' desire for independent acquisition of new knowledge and knowledge about the art of music;
• encourage the direct personal involvement in the performance of music in school ensembles and artistic societies outside of school.

Programme structure
a) The four-year program
In general classes, language and grammar the realization of teaching for the first three grades is 35 hours per year, and IV. class 32 hours per year.
Great attention was devoted to hearing-analytical approach to the detection of all elements of musical language.
In first grade teaching material was distributed as follows:
• musical work and its components;
• review of the music;
• music of ancient civilizations;
• middle ages (unanimous sacred music, secular music unanimous, the development of polyphony, the use of musical instruments);
• music of the Renaissance (The Netherlands polyphony, secular vocal music, vocal music of spiritual content, the instrumental music of the Renaissance).
 In second grade:
• baroque music (general features of baroque music, instrumental music types, vocal-instrumental forms, old Croatian songbooks and collections of spiritual music);
• gallant style;
• Viennese classics.
In third grade:
• romanticism;
• impressionism.
In fourth grade:
• the development directions of the musical art during the twentieth century.

b) The two-year program
Music art in the Natural Sciences and Mathematical High School lasts two years. The first class covers the introduction to the musical arts and the development of music from its beginning to the end of the 18 century, while the second class deals with an overview of the development of music from Beethoven to the present day.
Under the program meet the individual components of music news and mainly parallel to the historical (chronological) approach to certain types of musical works.

Table 2: Music hours per week in secondary school (gymnasium)

Musical aims are focused on developing:

• knowledge of musical expressive elements;
• knowledge of musical instruments and vocal, instrumental and vocal-instrumental groups;
  
• knowledge of musical forms;
• knowledge of musical history and composes;
• knowledge in musical national heritage and contemporary musical literature;
• ability for independent learning in musical culture;
• ability for independent assessment of musical pieces;
•  participation in performing music in school ensembles and musical association in school and outside the school.

Here you can find more information. portal.ncvvo.hr/index.php

The Croatian educational policy is focused on developing a knowledge society by improving quality and anhancing all levels of the education system. The Croatian Government's strategic document, Education Sector Development Plan 2005-2010, stressed the following as key development priorities: continuing professional development of education staff through lifelong learning and professional development programmes, the importance of education for social cohesion, economic growth and development.
In order for young people to seize the opportunities offered to them by the world, and to contribute to its development, they should have the necessary knowledge, be able to promptly and flexibly respond to changes, actively participate in the social development and continuously receive education during their entire working life.
Due to the development of new techologies, the process of globalisation and constant changes in the labour market, the system of education needs to be modernized so as to allow the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.
For the purpose of encouraging the development of adjustable and diverse working population that continually improves its knowledge and skills, Croatia's development goal is to modernize its educational system, by focusing on the creation of the society and economy based on human capital. The building of such a society rests upon enabling everyone access to education, upon quality and focusing on the continual development of talents and needs of individuals.
In order to get as many young people as possible prepared for the challenges posed by the era of constant technological changes and innovations, a proposal for the extension of compulsory education until the acquisition of the first qualification has been set forth. Its aim is to provide a large number of young people with key competencies for living and working in the modern society.
Specific priority areas in the development plan through 2010 include:
•      Improving teaching and learning in schools, developing knowledge and skills by training teachers and improving their social and monetary status;
•      Improving working conditions in schools and upgrading school equipment;
•      Developing the habit of lifelong learning, according to market needs;
•      Increasing the use of information and communications technology;
•      Strengthening the role of schools in preventing socially unacceptable behaviour;
•      Encouraging varied means of helping pupils with their learning and extra-curricular activities and creating an atmosphere which makes the school a learning community in which close and respectful relationships are built;
•      Improving management of educational institutions and introducing a system of monitoring and external evaluating education;
•      Rationalising and decentralising the educational system;
•      Increasing direct support to regional development;
•      Increasing family participation, the local community and other partners in improving the educational system;
•      Innovative approaches to the educational process and harmonization with EU programmes on all levels;
•      Harmonising the Croatian higher education system with the European system;
•      Strengthening national and cultural values;
•      Strengthening the awareness of belonging to the European cultural circle.

These and other activities should galvanise the quality of the overall educational system, make it accessible to all and improve the education and permanent professional training of teachers in Croatia.