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13.2.2 The Case of Croatia
When discussing Environmental Citizenship in secondary formal education and its
implementation in Croatia, it is necessary to first describe how secondary education
is organised. In Croatia, after 8 years of elementary school, children attend secondary school at the age of 14 or 15 and stay 4 years until they are 18 or 19 years old.
Secondary schools in Croatia are divided into gymnasiums, vocational schools and
art schools. Education in gymnasiums lasts 4 years. There are four available educational programmes: general (covers general education), science-mathematics (mathematics, informatics and science), classical (classics, Latin and Ancient Greek) and
language (similar to general, but more oriented to foreign languages). Gymnasiums
prepare students for tertiary education, and do not qualify students for a particular
profession. Vocational schooling lasts 3 or 4 years, depending on the programme,
and qualifies students for a particular profession. Art school takes 4 years to complete and aims to educate students in art and music. This school will not be addressed
in this chapter because no subjects relating to Environmental Citizenship is taught
in that programme. As can be seen from this summary, secondary education in
Croatia is mostly framed from a qualification perspective (Biesta 2015) where the
aim is to prepare the student for a profession or further study.
In the curriculum of secondary formal education in Croatia, Environmental
Citizenship and Education for Environmental Citizenship are not used as specific
terms. However, the curriculum of gymnasiums and vocational schools includes
some courses and/or subjects that correspond to Environmental Citizenship and
Education as Environmental Citizenship (NCEEE 2015). Similarly to the case in
England, Environmental Citizenship is mostly part of the subject curriculum of
Biology, both in gymnasiums and vocational secondary schools. Some aspects of
Environmental Citizenship are also present in the Geography curriculum. However,
some vocational secondary schools also include environmental education within
some other subjects.
Within the gymnasium’s curriculum in Biology, environment education is taught
in fourth grade (last grade of the gymnasium). Students learn about ecology and the
possibilities of the advancement and improvement of environmental protection. In
geography, students learn about environment at the end of second grade after topics
on demography, urban geography and economics. Furthermore, students learn about
the interrelationship between human (and economic) activities and the environment.
The basic difference between environmental education in biology and geography is
the perspectives used: in Biology, the environment is presented through an ecosystem
perspective, and in Geography through a spatial perspective. In both subjects, students are being educated about necessity of environment protection and how to be a
responsible, pro-environmental-oriented citizen. Previously mentioned curriculum is
valid for all gymnasium programmes. In the gymnasium programme of ScienceMathematics, Biology is being taught more extensively with practical training that is
more in line with Education for Environmental Citizenship. Moreover, in ScienceMathematics gymnasiums, Ecology is offered as an optional subject where students
are additionally educated about the environment and its importance in today’s world.
N. Gericke et al.
13.2.2 The Case of Croatia
When discussing Environmental Citizenship in secondary formal education and its
implementation in Croatia, it is necessary to first describe how secondary education
is organised. In Croatia, after 8 years of elementary school, children attend secondary school at the age of 14 or 15 and stay 4 years until they are 18 or 19 years old.
Secondary schools in Croatia are divided into gymnasiums, vocational schools and
art schools. Education in gymnasiums lasts 4 years. There are four available educational programmes: general (covers general education), science-mathematics (mathematics, informatics and science), classical (classics, Latin and Ancient Greek) and
language (similar to general, but more oriented to foreign languages). Gymnasiums
prepare students for tertiary education, and do not qualify students for a particular
profession. Vocational schooling lasts 3 or 4 years, depending on the programme,
and qualifies students for a particular profession. Art school takes 4 years to complete and aims to educate students in art and music. This school will not be addressed
in this chapter because no subjects relating to Environmental Citizenship is taught
in that programme. As can be seen from this summary, secondary education in
Croatia is mostly framed from a qualification perspective (Biesta 2015) where the
aim is to prepare the student for a profession or further study.
In the curriculum of secondary formal education in Croatia, Environmental
Citizenship and Education for Environmental Citizenship are not used as specific
terms. However, the curriculum of gymnasiums and vocational schools includes
some courses and/or subjects that correspond to Environmental Citizenship and
Education as Environmental Citizenship (NCEEE 2015). Similarly to the case in
England, Environmental Citizenship is mostly part of the subject curriculum of
Biology, both in gymnasiums and vocational secondary schools. Some aspects of
Environmental Citizenship are also present in the Geography curriculum. However,
some vocational secondary schools also include environmental education within
some other subjects.
Within the gymnasium’s curriculum in Biology, environment education is taught
in fourth grade (last grade of the gymnasium). Students learn about ecology and the
possibilities of the advancement and improvement of environmental protection. In
geography, students learn about environment at the end of second grade after topics
on demography, urban geography and economics. Furthermore, students learn about
the interrelationship between human (and economic) activities and the environment.
The basic difference between environmental education in biology and geography is
the perspectives used: in Biology, the environment is presented through an ecosystem
perspective, and in Geography through a spatial perspective. In both subjects, students are being educated about necessity of environment protection and how to be a
responsible, pro-environmental-oriented citizen. Previously mentioned curriculum is
valid for all gymnasium programmes. In the gymnasium programme of ScienceMathematics, Biology is being taught more extensively with practical training that is
more in line with Education for Environmental Citizenship. Moreover, in ScienceMathematics gymnasiums, Ecology is offered as an optional subject where students
are additionally educated about the environment and its importance in today’s world.
N. Gericke et al.