Minister of Science and Education Blaženka Divjak stated on Tuesday that everything is going according to plan for the experimental implementation of the curriculum reform, which is set to be introduced in 60 to 70 primary and secondary schools across all parts of Croatia this autumn.
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“We have worked hard and diligently to meet all deadlines, and everything is going according to plan. We have 90 schools registered from all over Croatia, which is more than we need and will allow us to have a selection according to the prescribed criteria,” said Minister Divjak after participating in the discussion “Leaders in Digital Transformation,” which is held as part of the “Digital Takeover” meeting in Zagreb.
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“After the selection of schools, we will intensify the education of teachers in those schools. We have prepared publishers to provide us with digitized materials in schools. Every student and teacher will receive a tablet, which is about six thousand students and around 1300 teachers,” emphasized Blaženka Divjak, adding that the ministry is in negotiations with telecom operators to ensure free internet at school and at home so that materials can be fully utilized.
Emphasis on STEM
There are no quick results in education, and a process of adaptation is needed in which we are currently engaged, she assessed, adding that there can be no sustainable development without changes in education. “This is what we are doing now: a complete digital transformation in schools, which goes not only through the introduction of computer science as a mandatory subject, although that is an important segment, but through various digital content of textbooks, e-learning, and student activities in different circumstances where digital technology is used,” said the minister, adding: “In everything, the most important thing is that students learn to solve problems, that they have an algorithmic way of thinking, and that is a prerequisite for them to succeed in their new professions, for which we do not know what they will be.”
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Minister Blaženka Divjak said that the ministry emphasizes the STEM area because research shows that Croatia is at the bottom of Europe in terms of the number of students enrolling in STEM, and that one-third of students enroll in law and economics. “We will strive for a comprehensive education in which all other skills and values are important,” concluded Minister Divjak.
