Curriculum, Subjects, Number of Hours

The national curriculum is determined by the Law on Primary Education and issued by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and Institute for the Improvement of Education.It serves as a basis for developing school programmes on the school level.

The National Curriculum contains detailed instructions for the presentation of each subject, as well as recommended teaching methods. A separate curriculum for each grade includes:

• The list of compulsory, elective and optional subjects;
• The required number of school weeks and hours for each subject;
• The detailed description of each subject, and its:
  • aims,
  • objectives,
  • content,
  • topics and
  • sequence of lessons;
• The description and number of hours planned for any additional curricular (e.g. additional and supplementary classes) or extracurricular activities (e.g. sport and cultural activities, excursion ns etc.).    

The list of subjects for each cycle and the required number of school hours are given in the table below.

Table 1: List of compulsory subjects in the national curriculum for the first cycle of basic education

*for schools where teaching language is minority language

**number of school hours for national minority pupils

Table 2: List of compulsory subjects in the national curriculum for the second cycle of basic education

*for schools where teaching language is minority language

**number of school hours for national minority pupils

Foreign languages are obligatorily taught at schools. The first foreign language is usually English, while the second is German, French or Russian, as offered by the school. Other languages (Italian or Spanish) may be offered if available.

Some schools offer the possibility of bilingual classes, with English or French being the second instruction language. These special classes are organised for the 7^th and 8^th grade, and pupils are required to pass a specific language test in order to enroll.

A curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties is developed through the Individual Education Plan, adopted by a school team (includes parents, teachers, school psychologist and/or pedagogue). According to this plan, the curriculum may be adjusted to pupil’s needs, either entirely or partly (e.g. one subject or a group of similar subjects a pupil is struggling with). If required, standards of achievement and learning outcomes may be altered in line with a pupil’s capacities.  

Teaching Methods and Materials

Teachers are required to perform all teaching activities for a particular subject as prescribed by the National Curriculum, School Programme and students’ needs. They are free to choose teaching methods according to their own teaching style and concrete teaching conditions (class size, classroom equipment, available resources and materials etc.). Teachers may use additional didactical and other learning materials if they contribute to curriculum realisation. 

Parameters for textbooks and teaching materials are regulated by the Law on Textbooks. This law aims at regulating the textbook market, as well as providing equal access to textbooks to minorities, and pupils with special educational needs.

Textbooks are primary teaching and learning resources.

A Textbooks Plan is issued every year based on the National Curriculum objectives. Textbooks Plan contains a list of all textbooks and additional teaching materials required for the realisation of the curriculum during the school year. The National Education Council and Institute for the Improvement of Education suggest the plan and the Minister approves it.

These institutions are also required to establish quality standards that determine:

• the textbook contents,
• educational and psychological requirements,
• didactical and methodological standards,
• language requirements,
• ethical requirements,
• visual and technical identity and
• other characteristics.

Book size and format are to be adapted to the needs of all pupils, taking into consideration possible health risks related to the elevated weight of textbooks. Every textbook needs to contain an electronic addendum, aiming to increase the use of information and communications technology in teaching.

In order to be used in schools, textbook samples submitted by different publishers have to be approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, whereupon a Catalogue of approved textbooks is issued. The Catalogue is updated regularly throughout the year, which assures the quality and modernity of the textbooks listed. The same textbook issued by the same publisher is used in all classes of the same grade in the same school. The selection of the textbook is done for a period of four school years, except for new programs when the choice is made for a period of one year.

The Government decides on financing or co-financing the preparation and / or procurement of textbooks and manuals, for socially and materially disadvantaged and for pupils with disabilities. The decision is made on 1 March of the current year for the next school year. By decision, the Government determines:

• the level and type of education, grade and subject for which the textbooks and manuals will be financed or co-financed;
• the conditions and criteria on the basis of which the pupil is entitled to the financing or co-financing.

The Law determines low-circulation textbook as a textbook whose direct and indirect production costs as well as sales costs are higher than the retail price.

A low-circulation textbook is considered as:

• a textbook on the language and script of a national minority;
• a textbook adapted to the educational needs of students with disabilities in development and disability;
• tutorial for pilot programs;
• a textbook for learning on special programs (overseas education, programs for talented students, etc.);
• a textbook for subjects attended by less than 2% of students and attendees of the total number of pupils and students in the generation who attend the same program.

The textbook publisher is obliged to participate in the provision of funds for issuing low-circulation textbooks in the amount of 2% of net income generated from the textbooks sales in the previous calendar year. The Government reserves the right to allocate extra funds towards printing of  these textbooks if the raised funds are insufficient.

Special textbooks are issued for students with disabilities, according to their needs and learning capacities. It is the school’s responsibility to eliminate physical (spatial) and communication barriers and facilitate learning processes for these students, as envisaged by the Individual Education Plan.