Science and Education Ministry

The Science and Education Ministry told BIRN on Wednesday that it will recommend that Croatian schools organise visits to the Jasenovac Memorial Site as part of pupils' civic education studies from the start of the next school year.

"Therefore schools, if they decide [to do] that activity, can put [it] in their school curriculum," the ministry said.

A debate in Croatia on the role of the powerful Catholic Church has reopened as Catholic priests hold prayers for the new school year in a number of public schools.

However, the country's Science and Education Ministry says any decisions to invite clergy to bless the new school year in schools lie in the hands of school directors, the news site Index reported on Monday.