Abstract:

Unbalanced spatial and demographic development in Croatia, as well as non complementary relationship between urban and rural areas, represents destabilizing factor for social and economic development of the state, especially for its equal regional development.
Modern development concepts are oriented toward reversible population and urban trends which would reestablish interest in living in small towns and villages, especially for young people, educated and economically active. Improved living and working conditions in such environment is possible by introduction of intermediate stimulating measures, i.e. by construction of social standard service network.
Towards enhancing the competitive capacity of rural areas and integrated approach of solving development problems, it is necessary to reconstruct and modernize school institutions network in line with new processes and trends in education. It is necessary to affirm the typology of schools of small capacity, and promote the concepts of school in function of development and life in a community.
The focus is to establish a typology of the elementary school building which through increased autonomy, decentralization and flexibility of the school system responds to the needs of local community and contributes to the quality of its educational, social and cultural infrastructure. Partnership established between this institution and other public or private organizations as well as various interest groups could increase the scope of curricular and extra-curricular content as well as maximum utilization of school space, its infrastructure and equipment.
New school building typology could provide a significant improvement in standard of living in small towns and villages in the educational, cultural and social terms. Such typology implementation in school network could equalize the equipping the entire Croatian area by institutional standards, and mitigate the dichotomy of life quality and accessibility to formal and non-formal education in urban centers and the settlements.

Keywords:

Primary school, network of primary schools, small schoool building, rural areas.