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Early childhood and school education funding

Bosnia and Herzegovina

3.Funding in education

3.1Early childhood and school education funding

Last update: 12 June 2022

Funding 

Preschool education is under the jurisdiction of municipalities and is financed from the budget of the municipalities except for the year prior to enrollment in the school which is funded from the budget of entity/cantonal ministries of education in accordance with the law.

Funding of Preschool Education and Care

The founder provides the funds for carrying out preschool activities. Preschools can provide funds through donations, participation of parents and other ways in accordance with the law. [[|i]]nvesting in the development of public preschool education - in facilities, capacity increase, etc. - is directly conditioned by the level of development of municipalities, their economic power, so that the condition of preschooling varies depending on significant differences from one environment to another - both in terms of enrollment capacity of preschool institutions, quality of education, absorption capacity of inclusion of children with disabilities and children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and in terms of salaries and other compensation for employed experts in preschool institutions. Underdeveloped municipalities allocate less for co-financing of preschool institutions, which automatically increases the price paid by parents, which is why in some areas the number of children in kindergartens is reduced.

Funding of Primary Education 

Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education of BiH, Article 16 (paragraph 1) clearly defines: "Primary education is compulsory for all children", and paragraph 5 stipulates that "Compulsory education is [[|f]]ree primary education is provided for all children".

Funds for the work of primary schools are provided from:

-           Government budget

-           Budget of the municipality where the school is located

-           Other sources

Funding of Secondary Education 

Article 17 of the Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education in BiH defines that "Secondary education is available to all in accordance with the performance in elementary school, personal interests and abilities. Secondary education in public institutions is free of charge in accordance with the law". Funds for the work of secondary school are provided from:

-       Government budget

-       Budget of the municipality where the school is located

-       Other sources

Financial Autonomy and Control

The Ministry performs administrative supervision over the legality of the school operation. Inspection supervision over the implementation of laws and other regulations in the field of education and pupils' standard of education is carried out by inspection.

The school may provide part of the funds by leasing the gym and sports facilities for training, sports competitions and recreation, as well as by renting school laboratories and classrooms for teaching. The lease of school premises must not hinder the educational work of the school. The funds generated by lease of school premises shall be paid into the account of public revenue – organizational [[|c]]ode of the school.

Financial audit is governed by the internal and external control. Internal control is organized within the institution, and external audit is carried out by the institutions responsible for monitoring, tracking and control of the validity of spending.

Fees within Public Education

The founder provides funding for preschool education:

-       Salaries and other employee benefits,

-       Material costs,

-       The purchase of basic equipment and furniture,

-       Teaching material and toys, etc.

Funding for implementation of shorter and specialized work programmes and costs of food for children is provided by service users.

The competent ministries provide funding for:

-       Part of didactic materials and toys in public preschool institutions,

-       Professional development of staff in preschool public institutions,

-       The development of preschool work programmes,

-       Evaluation of preschool work programmes,

-       Funding for the programme of preschool education and upbringing in the year before enrollment to school

In primary education, the relevant government provides funding for:

-       Staff salaries,

-       Capital construction and equipment and [[|i]]nvestment maintenance,

-       Costs of school materials and service

-       Professional development of teachers, professional associates and educators,

-       The fee for transportation of employees, if the distance from residence to work is greater than the distance prescribed by law,

-       The fee for transportation of students whose distance of residence from the school is greater than the distance prescribed by law,

-       Competition for students (regional, national, international, etc.)

The municipality on whose territory the school is located can provide the funds for capital construction and equipment and investment maintenance, competitions at the level of municipalities, region and others.

In secondary education, the government budget provides funds for:

-       The wages and salaries of employees,

-       Fees for the higher ranked competitions,

-       Prizes for the best students,

-       Awards to employees for the commitment to work,

-       The construction, rehabilitation, expansion, reconstruction.

The municipality provides funds for:

-       Heating, electricity, water, land occupation,

-       Professional development of teachers and professional associates,

-       Current maintenance,

-       Material costs,

-       Transport of workers,

-       Part of the funds for building, upgrading, repair, reconstruction, etc. School can generate revenue by donating or selling goods and services which are the products of school restaurant, shops, IT cabinets etc. School pupils or their parents provide funds for textbooks, manuals, insurance, purchase of notebooks and other supplies and transportation.

The municipality may provide through material costs the full amount of these costs or only part of it. The second part is paid by parents in the form of participation that is used to insure students, purchase certificates, diplomas, homework notebooks etc.

Therefore, regular secondary education, including technical and vocational education, is completely free, financed from the budget of the relevant educational authorities and is available to all on equal terms. The legislative framework promotes and ensures the education of all secondary school students under the same conditions with the use of high standards of education and implementation of optimal conditions of development of the child's personality, adapted to their age, ability, social and physical abilities. Thus, pupils do not pay the registration and attendance of secondary school, but there is no legal obligation to pay the transport and procure textbooks, although some of the local communities and the ministries of education in BiH co-finance the transport of secondary school students.

Financial Support for Learners’ Families

There are no Financial Support for Learners' Families. 

Financial Support for Families of Pupils with Special Educational Needs

The schools for children with special educational needs can organize accommodation and meals for pupils and children of preschool age. Accommodation and meals can be in the form of a daily or permanent stay. Ministry lays down the conditions for accommodation of pupils and the way of achieving educational work. A local government unit in whose territory the parent of the pupil resides shall bear the costs of services: transport, food and accommodation of pupils.

The founder, school, or the competent ministry can provide necessary conditions for work, if they have not already been secured for children with disabilities who attend regular primary or secondary school.

Financial Support for Learners

School pupils or their parents provide funds for textbooks, manuals, insurance, purchase of notebooks and other supplies and transportation.

The municipality may provide, through material costs, the full amount of these costs or only part of it. The second part is paid by parents in the form of participation that is used to insure pupils, purchase certificates, diplomas, homework notebooks, etc.

The fee for transportation of pupils whose residence distance to the school is higher than the distance prescribed by law shall be provided from the budget of the competent ministry.

Private Education

Funds for financing private school are provided by the founder. Parents of students attending private schools pay tuition fees under regulations made at the school.