School in Montenegro

Preschool education in Montenegro is called Predškolsko vaspitanje i obrazovanje. Jaslice generally serve children under three, while vrtić covers the period from age three until primary-school entry. Public and private institutions provide preschool places, and the law provides equal access without discrimination, including for children with special educational needs. No compulsory preschool status is established in the available research. In the 2025/26 year, Montenegro had 57 preschool institutions, including 24 public and 33 private institutions, with 201 units, 922 groups and 26,786 children. Public institutions enrolled 94.8% of the children, and average group size was about 31 children in public institutions and 14 in private institutions. For 2026/27, electronic enrolment is scheduled through upisi.edu.me from 23 May to 15 June 2026, with direct application to the institution as a fallback. Continuing children normally renew their contracts. A medical certificate is required, and a formal assessment decision is used where a child needs special educational support. Parent fees form part of the legal funding system, but the amount depends on the tariff and provider. Primary education is provided through osnovno obrazovanje i vaspitanje in an osnovna škola. It has nine grades divided into three cycles: grades 1 to 3, 4 to 6 and 7 to 9. The cited law provisions describe compulsory education from ages 6 to 15, while Ministry summaries also state 5 to 15; the applicable age cutoff should therefore be checked in the annual enrolment notice. A child who turns six during the enrolment year normally enters school, early entry is possible, and postponement can last up to one year. Enrolment follows the child's permanent or temporary residence and usually takes place around April after a medical examination. Parents are responsible for ensuring attendance. If a child is not enrolled, a complaint can be made to the education inspection within 15 working days. Public primary education is free, as are state-funded textbooks. Public institutions operate on a non-profit basis, while private tuition is legally possible. Primary assessment is descriptive in the first cycle and normally uses grades from 1 to 5 in later cycles. Grades 1 to 4 generally do not involve repetition, subject to stated exceptions. In grades 5 to 9, a pupil with one to three failing grades can take a remedial examination; four or more failing grades, or failure in that examination, can lead to repetition. The curriculum combines compulsory subjects, electives, activities and extended school provision. The third cycle includes at least three electives, including one foreign language. English is compulsory from grade 1, and an additional foreign language begins from grade 6. Weekly lesson limits are 19, 24 and 28 lessons for the three cycles, and a lesson lasts 45 minutes. Classes normally have no more than 28 pupils, although the minister may allow up to 30. Multigrade classes may have up to 20 pupils across two grades or 15 across three grades. Schools may provide remedial and additional teaching, before-school care mainly for grade 1, after-school care mainly for grade 1 and sometimes grade 2, extracurricular activities and trips. Home education can cover one semester or one school year; parents generally notify the school at least two months in advance, and the school assesses the pupil. General secondary education is not compulsory. After completing primary school, a pupil under 17 can apply to a gimnazija, which provides a four-year general programme, or to a general programme in a srednja mješovita škola. A gimnazija is a general secondary school rather than vocational training. Completion is linked to the regulated matura examination. The 2025/26 statistics recorded 27,004 pupils in secondary education and 178 pupils in resource centres; this total includes vocational pupils and therefore does not measure general secondary education alone. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, the Bureau for Education Services, the National Education Council, municipal education bodies and individual schools share responsibility for the system. Montenegro has no evidenced regional administrative variation in the national framework, but access and capacity can differ by municipality, school network and catchment area. The school calendar normally begins on 1 September and has two semesters with at least 180 school days, or 220 days where practical education is included; final-year pupils have at least 165 days. The calendar for 2026/27 was issued on 1 July 2026. Children have rights to quality teaching, information, protection, an appeal against grades and assessment by a commission. Prior notice can cover up to five working days of absence. Violence, abuse, neglect and discrimination are prohibited. The Parent Council can address complaints and comment on the annual plan, trips and school quality. Schools can provide transport-cost contributions, dormitory accommodation and meals for full-time primary or secondary pupils studying outside their place of residence, and scholarships for gifted pupils. Schools issue certificates, report cards, diplomas and transfer documents. Children who do not know the language of instruction sufficiently can receive preparatory language teaching for up to one year. Montenegrin is the official teaching language, while Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian and Croatian have official-use status. Schools can provide sign-language and assistive instruction, and a foreign-language programme requires Ministry consent. Children with special educational needs receive mandatory education together with habilitation or rehabilitation from the point of identification. A resource centre provides education, early intervention, rehabilitation, teacher advice and assistive technology such as Braille, sign language and picture communication. The child should normally attend the closest suitable setting, which can be a preschool, regular primary or general secondary school, an integrated class or a resource centre. An individual developmental and educational programme sets the child-specific goals, support and delivery arrangements. Parents participate in choosing the programme and can request a change. Adapted premises, technology, mobile services and, where required, education at home or in a healthcare institution are available. An individual transition plan supports movement between education levels and, where relevant, from education into employment. Funding for these services comes from the public budget.