Address
Agencija za mobilnost i programe Europske unije /
Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes
Frankopanska 26,
HR-10 000 Zagreb
Tel: +385 (0) 5005 635
E-Mail: eurydice@ampeu.hr
Website
2026
Preschool Education Act amendments
In February 2026, amendments to the Preschool Education Act were adopted to ensure the continued state‑budget financing of the fiscal sustainability of all kindergartens, irrespective of their founder. The regulation governing the provision of these funds has also been incorporated into the Act.
The previous provision granting enrolment priority to children who turn four by 1 April has been repealed, as the expansion of kindergarten capacity has removed the need for such a restriction and has improved access to nursery programmes as well as enrolment of children from vulnerable groups.
The amendments further regulate the possibility of employing teachers in preschool institutions after completion of a special programme through which they acquire the necessary pedagogical competences. The grounds for exclusion from work in kindergartens have also been specified more precisely thereby enabling parents, a particularly mothers who are in family and social difficulties and do not present a risk to children, to be employed in kindergartens.
The Croatian Parliament also adopted a Government amendment that sets out in greater detail the method for disbursing funds. Funds are transferred to local and regional self‑government units for kindergartens they have founded, while kindergartens founded by religious communities and by other natural or legal persons receive funds directly.
2025
Amendments to the Act on preschool education and care
The Ministry of Science, Education and Youth conducted a public consultation on the Draft Act on Amendments to the Preschool Education Act. The proposed changes are aimed at increasing access to kindergartens, ensuring a fairer enrolment process, and providing clearer criteria for employment and funding.
The main amendments to the Act relate to:
- granting enrolment priority in kindergartens to children from vulnerable groups, regardless of age, by abolishing the previous provision that gave priority to four-year-olds.
- enabling primary school teachers to be employed in kindergartens after acquiring additional early childhood education competencies through certified higher education institutions.
- revising provisions on restrictions regarding employment in kindergartens, especially in cases where parents subject to child welfare protection measures are not allowed to work in such institutions.
Following the consultation, the next phase will involve processing and analyzing the collected comments and preparing the final version of the Act for adoption.
2024
The Ministry of Science, Education and Youth adopted two new ordinances
Decision on the appointment of the Working Group for the drafting of the proposal for the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care
In December 2023, the Minister of Science and Education issued a Decision on the appointment of the Working Group for the drafting of the proposal for the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care. The task of the Working Group is to draft the proposal for the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care and its refinement according to the consultations carried out.