Religious Education in Croatia
Hrvatska
Country Background: Demographics and Religious Education
Croatia is a parliamentary democracy and, in terms of its constitutional structure, a republic. According to the most recent national census conducted by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics in 2021, Croatia has a population of 3,871,833 inhabitants. Croats constitute 91.63% of the total population. By religious affiliation, 78.97% self-identified as Catholics, 3.32% as Orthodox Christians, 1.32% as Muslims, and 4.71% as atheists [1]. Catholic religious education is consequently the most widely attended confessional programme in Croatian primary and secondary schools (between 85% and 90% in primary schools and approximately 78% in secondary schools). In view of this educational reality, the present report will focus primarily on Catholic religious education. This emphasis, however, does not diminish the existence or significance of religious education from other confessional traditions. Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic programmes are likewise encompassed by the legal framework and are provided where sufficient interest of minimum seven pupils and conditions exist.
Legal Framework
Catholic religious education in the Republic of Croatia is regulated by an international agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia, as well as by national regulations and documents issued by the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth.
The key document governing cooperation in the fields of education and culture is the Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia regarding their Collaboration in the Fields of Education and Culture (1996)[2] , which defines the position of the Catholic Church within the educational system. This Agreement guarantees parents the right to Catholic religious education in public preschool institutions, as well as in primary and secondary schools. The Croatian Conference of Bishops is responsible for preparing curricula and content for Catholic religious education, which are then formally approved by the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth. In accordance with this document, the Agreement on Catholic Religious Education in Public Schools and Religious Education in Public Preschool Institutions [3] (1999) stipulates the organization and modalities for delivering religious education. Catholic religious education in public primary and secondary schools is offered for two teaching hours per week. Although the subject is elective, it becomes mandatory once parents or students aged 15 or over indicate their choice in writing. A minimum of seven students is required for a class to be organized. Teachers of Catholic religious education, as well as theologians, may teach the subject provided that they possess a certificate from the diocesan bishop conferring a canonical mandate (missio canonica). The Croatian Conference of Bishops and the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth share joint responsibility for the continuing professional development of Catholic religious education teachers.
Curriculum and Objectives of Catholic Religious Education
The Curriculum for the Subject Catholic Religious Education for Primary and Secondary Schools in the Republic of Croatia[4] (2019) is the central document that sets out the purpose, objectives, and domains of the course. The curriculum defines the subject’s purpose as the systematic introduction to the Catholic faith, a deeper acquaintance with the person of Jesus Christ, an understanding of the role and significance of the Catholic Church, and growth in moral and Christian maturity. The subject is confessional, yet students are encouraged to cultivate mutual respect and to engage in dialogue with members of other confessions and religions.
The content of Catholic religious education comprises four principal domains:
- Humanity and the World in God’s Plan
The first domain fosters reflection on existential questions, the origins and meaning of human life, and on issues of suffering, death, and eternity from the perspective of God’s creation and redemption. Students are given opportunities to cultivate their spiritual development and a sense of responsibility and freedom. - The Word of God and the Church’s Faith in Christian Life
The second domain promotes students’ familiarity with Sacred Scripture as the living Word of God which contains the fundamental truths of the Christian faith and reflections on essential questions of life. - Christian Love and Moral Practice
The third domain concerns the formation of moral and Christian values necessary for constructive coexistence with others. - The Church in the World
In the fourth domain, students investigate the role and influence of the Catholic Church and Christianity at global, European, and national levels, with particular attention to the Church’s contribution to Croatian society, culture, the arts, historical development, and contemporary public life.
Education is age-appropriate. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration with other subjects in order to support students’ personal and integral development, social responsibility, and critical thinking.
Catholic Religious Education and Alternative Programmes
Catholic religious education, as previously noted, is offered as an elective subject. For students who choose not to participate, an alternative course, Ethics is provided at the secondary school level. In primary schools, however, a formally established alternative to religious education is generally not available. The responsibility for developing such an option lies with the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth. The lack of an officially offered option in primary schools has been the subject of ongoing public and scholarly debate. Currently, a pilot elective entitled “The World and I” is being introduced in a limited number of selected primary schools as an experimental substitute for religious education.[5]
[1] Državni zavod za statistiku, Popis stanovništva, kućanstava i stanova 2021 – Etno-kulturna obilježja, available at: https://dzs.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/Popis%202021/PDF/Popis_2021_etno-kulturalna_obiljezja.pdf?utm
[2] Republika Hrvatska. Odluka o proglašenju Zakona o potvrđivanju Ugovora između Svete Stolice i Republike Hrvatske o suradnji na području odgoja i kulture. Narodne novine, 1997, izdanje NN 2/1997., available at: https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/medunarodni/1997_02_2_10.html
[3] Nacionalni katehetski ured Hrvatske biskupske konferencije, Ugovor o katoličkom vjeronauku u javnim školama i vjerskom odgoju u javnim predškolskim ustanovama, 1999., available at: https://nku.hbk.hr/ugovori/ugovor-o-katolickom-vjeronauku-u-javnim-skolama-i-vjerskom-odgoju-u-javnim-predskolskim-ustanovama/?utm
[4] Ministarstvo znanosti i obrazovanja, Odluka o donošenju kurikuluma za nastavni predmet Katolički vjeronauk za osnovne škole i gimnazije u Republici Hrvatskoj. Narodne novine, 2019., izdanje NN 10/2019., available at: https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2019_01_10_216.html
[5] Ministarstvo znanosti, obrazovanja i mladih, ”Eksperimentalni kurikulum nastavnoga predmeta Svijet i ja za osnovne škole”, 17.5.2023., available at: https://mzom.gov.hr/vijesti/eksperimentalni-kurikulum-nastavnoga-predmeta-svijet-i-ja-za-osnovne-skole/5525
This report was written by Marija Sertić, the representative for Croatia in EFTRE (14 November 2025 ).