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16 August 2018

Croatia: More language courses available for adult refugees and asylum-seekers

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Refugees in Croatia have been confronted with a systemic lack of availability of Croatian language learning courses, with many recognised refugees unable to start courses even years after their refugee status was granted. However, some progress has recently been made in this situation.

In March 2018, the Centre for Croatian as a Foreign and Second Language (CROATICUM) at the University of Zagreb, in collaboration with the NGO AreYouSyrious?, decided to take matters into their own hands by initiating a language course for refugees and asylum-seekers. Professors and students from the university’s Department of Croatian Language and Literature began volunteering their knowledge, effort and time, using proven language teaching methods to help people who were forced to flee their countries and want to continue their lives in Croatia. CROATICUM will continue holding language courses for refugees and asylum-seekers during the winter semester 2018/2019.

The government has also begun to act. In mid-April 2018, the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education announced a public tender for educational institutions, foreign language schools and open universities to provide Croatian language courses in twelve cities to refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection. The anticipated student groups will range in size from 12 to 20 students, with 29 student groups distributed between the different cities—Zagreb having the largest number of student groups with 7 groups, followed by Kutina with 5 and Zadar with 4. The government allocated 600,000 kunas for these classes.

In addition to these efforts, the Jesuit Refugee Service also provides language courses for asylees, asylum seekers and aliens under subsidiary protection. The courses fall under the Programme of Croatian language, history and culture for asylees and foreigners under subsidiary protection for inclusion in Croatian society.

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Croatia
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Posted by
Drago Zuparic
Country Coordinator

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