Education
S T R U C T U R E:
Education in Montenegro is free and compulsory for students between the ages of six and fourteen, and is overseen by the Ministry of Education and Science. After a student completes his or her primary education, there are three possible tracks for completing a secondary education:
Following the completion of a secondary education, those who qualify may pursue a tertiary education, which is the equivalent of attending a college or university in the United States.
(Education System in Montenegro, 2012)
Education in Montenegro is free and compulsory for students between the ages of six and fourteen, and is overseen by the Ministry of Education and Science. After a student completes his or her primary education, there are three possible tracks for completing a secondary education:
- Gymnasium (Gimnazija)- four years of general academic education in preparation for college.
- Professional schools (Stručna škola)- three to four years of general education that gives students the opportunity to specialize in certain fields.
- Vocational schools (Zanatska škola)- three years of narrow education focusing in a specific vocation or trade.
Following the completion of a secondary education, those who qualify may pursue a tertiary education, which is the equivalent of attending a college or university in the United States.
(Education System in Montenegro, 2012)
E N G L I S H E D U C A T I O N:
Since 1994, the British Council in Montenegro has been involved in the country's education sector. According to their official website, the British Council in Montenegro (2018) works with public and private partners to "promote reform, improve quality and enable access to high quality education while fostering greater cultural understanding between citizens of the UK and Montenegro" (Our Work in Education).
The British Council promotes the teaching of English in Montenegro, providing both students and educators with tools to learn and teach the language, respectively. The British Council (2018) lists English as one of "the UK’s most attractive assets" and also advertises the opportunity for Montenegrins to study "English in the home of the English language" (Our Work in Arts, Education, and Society). In promoting the use and spread of English in Montenegro, the British Council hopes to bolster the relationship between the UK and Montenegro, providing employment, economic, and political opportunities between the two countries. The British Council's "special focus is on supporting the EU accession process in Montenegro" (Our Work in Society). As such, the British Council has designed its program to not only aid in the "professionalization" of the use of the English language, but also has a vested interest in Montenegro adopting European standards of communication across the board.
Though it is not as robust as the influence of the UK, the United States also has an interest in English education in Montenegro. The U.S. Embassy in Montenegro (2018) has an established "American Corners" program which aims to "provide access to current and reliable information about the U.S. via books, videos, and DVD collections, the Internet, and through local programming open to the general public" (American Corners). Like the British Council, the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro also provides opportunities for students to study abroad in the United States. Though English education in Montenegro is run by the British Council, the United States has demonstrated a vested interest in the spread and use of English in Montenegro, as it not only assisted in the acceptance of Montenegro to NATO, but also continues to strengthen the ties between the two countries, providing economic and political opportunities for all involved.
Since 1994, the British Council in Montenegro has been involved in the country's education sector. According to their official website, the British Council in Montenegro (2018) works with public and private partners to "promote reform, improve quality and enable access to high quality education while fostering greater cultural understanding between citizens of the UK and Montenegro" (Our Work in Education).
The British Council promotes the teaching of English in Montenegro, providing both students and educators with tools to learn and teach the language, respectively. The British Council (2018) lists English as one of "the UK’s most attractive assets" and also advertises the opportunity for Montenegrins to study "English in the home of the English language" (Our Work in Arts, Education, and Society). In promoting the use and spread of English in Montenegro, the British Council hopes to bolster the relationship between the UK and Montenegro, providing employment, economic, and political opportunities between the two countries. The British Council's "special focus is on supporting the EU accession process in Montenegro" (Our Work in Society). As such, the British Council has designed its program to not only aid in the "professionalization" of the use of the English language, but also has a vested interest in Montenegro adopting European standards of communication across the board.
Though it is not as robust as the influence of the UK, the United States also has an interest in English education in Montenegro. The U.S. Embassy in Montenegro (2018) has an established "American Corners" program which aims to "provide access to current and reliable information about the U.S. via books, videos, and DVD collections, the Internet, and through local programming open to the general public" (American Corners). Like the British Council, the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro also provides opportunities for students to study abroad in the United States. Though English education in Montenegro is run by the British Council, the United States has demonstrated a vested interest in the spread and use of English in Montenegro, as it not only assisted in the acceptance of Montenegro to NATO, but also continues to strengthen the ties between the two countries, providing economic and political opportunities for all involved.