CROATIAN EDUCATION MINISTRY OFFICIALS VISIT VUKOVAR

ZAGREB, June 5 (Hina) - A session on how to include schools of the Croatian Danube river area into the Croatian schooling system was held in Vukovar on June 4, Croatian Education Ministry said in a statement. Ministry officials notified participants of the session - about fifteen teachers from the area and about their ten guests from Belgrade and Novi Sad (FR Yugoslavia) as well as UNTAES representatives - of Croatian laws' provisions on the education of Croatia's national minorities' children. Possibilities offered by three models of curriculum were discussed in particular, the statement read. "According to the 'A' model, the entire national (Croatian) curriculum is followed, but textbooks are translated into the language of a national minority. Pupils included in this model are required to learn Croatian in four lessons a week during the entire education. Pupils covered by the 'B' model learn sciences in Croatian, whereas other subjects are taught and textbooks translated in the language of their national minority. This model also envisages the studying of the Croatian language and literature in four lessons in a week during the entire education. The 'C' model proposes that children of a national minority are included into the national (Croatian) schools, and have the right to the additional five classes in a week of their national language and culture. The additional classes contain the teaching of the language, history, geography, arts and religious instructions from their own religion," the statement read. Following the thorough discussion in Vukovar, the session's participants decided to hold another meeting where a final decision would be made on curricula and syllabuses as well as the time frame and dynamics of their introduction in schools in eastern Slavonia, the statement said at the end. (hina) jn mš 051235 MET jun 97