The Right of Children Belonging to a Minority to Be Educated in Their Language and Script in the Republic of Croatia

The right to education is indispensable to advancing human rights in a democratic society and is essential for enabling an individual to live a dignified life. Language is central to the identity of linguistic minorities and is a very important means of communication in society. Language issues are often the source of claims of discrimination in education. In the Republic of Croatia, children belonging to national minorities have a guaranteed right to be educated in their mother tongue. However, there are gaps between the standards set by the normative framework and practical reality. This study aims to analyse the approach of the Croatian legal order to the issue of education of children in the language and script of their national minority. Then, this study seeks to identify the obstacles that in practice hinder the full realisation of this right and ultimately to propose de lege ferenda measures that can contribute to the removal of existing barriers.