Education for Ethnic Minorities and Cross-Border Communities – Support and Development of Slovenian Language Instruction in Cross-Border Areas and Support and Development of Education for Ethnic Minorities in Slovenia 2020 (Croatia)

The project has been running since the 2012/2013 school year and represents an important form of preserving the Slovenian language in an area without a strong, organized Slovenian community.

In 2020, instruction was carried out in five primary schools and included 95 students, which represents a decline compared to the initial years. The implementation of the project was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to which teaching was partly conducted remotely, and teachers also faced difficulties crossing the border.

An important achievement of the project is the development of extensive teaching materials for different age groups of students, created in response to remote teaching. Teachers were also involved in professional training and research activities, where they exchanged experiences and acquired new knowledge.

Despite these positive aspects, the analysis highlights several key challenges: weak cooperation with local schools and the Slovenian community, a lack of teaching materials, and limited institutional support. Teachers express the need for stronger connections, better organization, and additional professional and material support.

In conclusion, the document emphasizes that the project is important and necessary; however, its further development requires strengthened cooperation between institutions, greater promotion of the Slovenian language, and systematic support for teachers and the teaching process.