Zadar Peninsula faces record low school enrollment amid demographic shifts

The Zadar Peninsula is experiencing a significant demographic shift as intensive apartmentization transforms the historic city center into a tourist-focused area. This trend has led to a sharp decline in the permanent resident population, as families move to the outskirts of the city in search of more affordable housing and better amenities.

The impact is clearly visible in local education statistics. The Petar Preradović Elementary School on the Peninsula reported a record low of only 37 first-grade students this year, down from 52 last year and over 70 a decade ago. School principal Ante Barač noted that this is the lowest number of first-graders in the school's history since it began operating after World War II.

While the total number of students in the school has dropped from a historical high of 1,600 to fewer than 600, approximately 35 percent of current students do not live on the Peninsula. These students reside in outlying neighborhoods like Relja or areas above the bridge but attend the school due to parental employment in the center or extended school hours. Tihana Magaš, head of the Department of Administration, Education and Schooling for the City of Zadar, confirmed that while enrollment is decreasing in the city center, there is an increase in students in residential areas with higher-density housing.