Improving Civic Education in the Western Balkans: The Experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia

Civic education is critical in building democratic resilience. Yet, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, it remains an underdeveloped, inconsistently implemented, and politically marginalized part of the education system. Civic education is included in the school curriculum in the three countries, but its delivery often misses the mark, due to weak institutional frameworks, lack of teacher motivation and support, and limited political will for reforms. As taught now, instead of fostering informed, critical, and engaged citizenship, the subject leaves young people unprepared to participate actively and vulnerable to disinformation

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, civic education has been a mandatory school subject since 2001, but fragmentation across 13 education ministries produces significant disparities in content and quality. In Montenegro, it was downgraded to an elective subject in 2017, effectively eroding its presence in schools. In Serbia, it is elective and competes with religious education, reinforcing the notion that the two are mutually exclusive. Across the region, the subject suffers from insufficient resources, low institutional priority, and low student engagement.

The gap between subject design and implementation persists. Although civic education is a well-designed part of the education system on paper, in practice, it is often peripheral, theory-heavy, and disconnected from everyday life. Students are expected to memorize rather than to engage and to debate. There is inconsistency in schools as it largely depends on the motivation of a few teachers. For teachers, selection criteria are loose and professional development is rare or dependent on external support, and there is little career incentive to teach the subject. Civil society organizations play a vital compensatory role by developing materials, organizing extracurricular activities, and training teachers, yet these efforts remain donor-dependent and unsustainable without state support.

Reforming civic education requires bridging the gap between civic knowledge and civic action. This entails a shift to experiential learning that develops critical thinking, media literacy, and democratic participation. There is a need for improving teacher training and certification, embedding civic education as a standalone and visible subject, and fostering cooperation between ministries, educators, and civil society. Greater parental awareness and public advocacy are essential to raise the status of the subject and build societal support for reform.

Ultimately, strengthening civic education is a strategic investment in democratic culture and social cohesion. By institutionalizing inclusive, participatory, and practical civic learning, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia can empower young people as informed, responsible citizens and improve the quality of democracy. Effective civic education is not only an educational priority but also a democratic imperative for the region’s future stability.

Ema Džejna Smolo Zukan is a ReThink.CEE Fellow 2024 of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.