The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted at this week’s session Information on statistical indicators in education for 2022 from which it is evident that the trend of decreasing the number of students enrolled in primary and secondary schools has continued.
The information was prepared by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, which, in cooperation with institutions in the field of education and statistical institutions in BiH, monitors statistical indicators in education and annually informs the Council of Ministers of BiH.
Information on statistical indicators in education in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the year 2022 contains indicators and trends in education. It serves to assess the state of education, as well as to improve educational policies.
Every year, Information shows data for all four levels of education, as well as financial statistics of education for the previous year, it is stated to Fena news agency in the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
As stated in that document in the 2021/2022 school year. in BiH there were 427 preschool institutions with 33,200 children. Compared to the previous school year, the number of children using preschool institutions increased by 5,502 children. Of the total number of preschool children, 63 percent are enrolled in public institutions, and 37 percent in private institutions.
The enrollment of children in pre-school education in BiH in this period is 19.4 percent, which is significantly lower than the European average. Therefore, ensuring access and increasing coverage through preschool upbringing and education are the most important priorities when it comes to this level of education.
In the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the beginning of the 2021/2022 school year. 1,702 regular elementary schools (main and independent with regional schools) and 46 schools for children with developmental disabilities were operating. 264,802 students were enrolled in schools, which is 3,257 students less than the previous school year.
In the 2021/2022 school year. 28,013 students were enrolled in the first grades of primary school, 536 less students compared to the previous year, and 24,601 teachers were involved in the teaching process, among whom 73.8 percent were women.
When it comes to secondary education, in the previous school year, 108,257 students were enrolled in 313 secondary schools, which is 2,147 students less than in the previous school year.
The largest number of students attend technical schools, 56.8 percent, followed by gymnasiums, 21 percent, while 18.8 percent of students enrolled in vocational schools. 12,840 teachers were involved in the teaching process in this period.
According to the data of the Center for information and recognition of documents in the field of higher education, there are 52 licensed higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while there are currently 39 accredited higher education institutions on the official website of the Agency for the Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the academic year 2021/2022. 76,028 students were enrolled in the first cycle of higher education studies, including short cycle and integrated studies, in the winter semester, of which 65,561 students were enrolled in all years of study, and 10,467 were graduate students.
Compared to the previous school year, the number of enrolled students decreased by 2,315. 9,782 teachers and associates were employed in higher education institutions.
In 2021, 12,324 students graduated, which is 967 fewer students than in 2020, according to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Public expenditures for formal education in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2020 amounted to about 1.5 billion BAM, which is 4.3 percent of the gross domestic product.
“Regarding adult education, the percentage of people aged 25 to 64 who participated in education and training in BiH is 2.1 percent, while the percentage of people who left school earlier is 4.7 percent,” it was pointed out.
The European Union has defined that people who left school early are people aged 18 to 24, who are no longer in any education or training process, and who have not obtained a high school diploma in which education lasted longer than two years.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs will continue to monitor statistical indicators in cooperation with all relevant institutions in this area.