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Description
The project is an urgent response to the poor amendments to the Law on Preschool Education, which are entering the procedure. We will influence change by strengthening the advocacy role of civil society and civic awareness, activating citizens and CSOs, sending amendments. In many areas the quality of kindergartens is too low, or not available at all. The needs for kindergartens are large, there are too many children in groups, and Croatia has committed itself to increase the percentage of children enrolled in preshool. That commitment must not mean that quality will continue to deteriorate, and that is exactly what is happening. Children stay in inappropriate small spaces, there is no professional staff due to the wrong policy of education, internship and employment. Children with disabilities are excluded from the program because the current system cannot provide them with basic conditions. The food in kindergartens is insufficient and low-quality, non-professional staff are hired because professional resources are deemed too expensive, and all that is supported by a bad legal framework. Insufficiently defined, subject to arbitrary interpretations by individuals, leads to multiple discrimination. The announced legal changes encourage further such actions and we want to correct that. By advocating, public appearances and digital campaigns, performances, sending amendments and submissions to the legislator, we will influence the adoption of better legal changes. For end-users, preschool children, stop discrimination based on place of birth, property status, place of work of their parents, especially children with disabilities. Because of unequal possibilities of local authorities, and the fact that the state does not allocate sufficient funds for preshools, we will advocate a legal change in the method of financing, to achieve a balanced investment in education.
Summary of project results
The proposed project is focused on addressing the following needs:
(1) Influencing changes to the Law on Preschool Education (RPOO) in Croatia: The current legal framework governing preschool education, including the State Pedagogical Standard and Regulations, is outdated, insufficiently defined, discriminatory, and subject to arbitrary interpretations by individuals. Conditions in preschools are unsustainable, the availability and quality of preschool education are unequal, and the opportunities for local government units vary. The state does not invest adequately in the education of young children.
(2) Lack of quality intersectoral collaboration: Given the complexity of the problem, there is a need to raise public awareness and involve stakeholders from all sectors of governance in the field of preschool education.
(3) Capacity-building for local stakeholders (NGOs, local authorities, public service providers) to support early and preschool education, as well as employees in this sector, in order to provide support for demanding higher-quality changes to the law.
(4) Brain drain of qualified professionals leading to lower-quality preschool education: According to statistics from the Croatian Employment Service and a survey conducted on a sample of 1200 respondents, at least 35% of preschool teachers work on short-term contracts, often for the same employer and performing the same duties. This type of work typically lasts for 4 to 10 years, contrary to the provisions of the Labor Act. The obvious reason for this situation is the lack of funding, and the consequences include professionals leaving the field for more stable employment in other professions. The Ministry of Education plans to address the surplus of primary school teachers by employing them as preschool teachers, allowing them to acquire qualifications as preschool teachers with only 60 ECTS credits and hiring them without meeting the same requirements that preschool teachers have (internship, professional exam). This legislative proposal discriminates against preschool teachers and related professions, such as psychologists and educators
The project aimed to advocate for changes to the Law on Preschool Education in Croatia, focusing on improving the legal framework for early childhood education. The primary goal was to raise awareness and engage both experts and the general public in stopping proposed unfavorable legal amendments in the field of early childhood education and care. The project successfully accomplished several key activities, including:
Legislative Advocacy: The project team prepared and submitted 10 amendments to the legislator, offering improved legal solutions. They also submitted 15 proposals to various institutions, including ministries, government bodies, and educational agencies.
Public Campaign: A public campaign was launched on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), reaching approximately 150,000 individuals. This campaign aimed to inform and engage the public on the proposed changes to the law.
Expert Collaboration: The project organized a roundtable discussion in Opatija, where representatives from four trade unions collaborated and formed a unified initiative. An expert conference was also held with 100 participants, resulting in expert recommendations for the legislator.
Stakeholder Engagement: The project actively engaged with stakeholders, including governmental bodies, professional associations, and media. It also initiated collaborations with additional professional associations.
Media and Public Awareness: Public awareness was raised through media engagement, including TV and radio appearances, media press releases, and open letters. A performance on Markov Square, involving members of the association, further garnered media attention.
Membership Growth: The project contributed to an increase in the association''s membership, attracting seven new volunteers who actively participated in the organization''s work.
The combined efforts of these activities resulted in a successful campaign to stop unfavorable changes to the Law on Preschool Education. The project effectively mobilized stakeholders, informed the public, and engaged in legislative advocacy to protect the rights and quality of early childhood education in Croatia.
By raising awareness and mobilizing citizens, professionals, unions, professional associations, the academic community, and parents, we managed to prevent the proposed legislative changes from being adopted in the Parliament in their proposed form. We increased public and media interest in the issues related to early childhood education. One of the strongest arguments in favor of this is the fact that, in just a day and a half, we mobilized hundreds of preschool teachers in 60 cities and 13 municipalities across Croatia for protest activities. Another indicator of this alertness is the support of parents, which is evident in the nearly 22,000 signatures on a petition clearly expressing opposition to these amendments to the law. In agreement with the parents, we proposed launching a petition to stop these harmful changes to the law, with a particular emphasis on preventing the announced abolition of the provisions of the State Pedagogical Standard, which is part of this law. Collaboration, partnerships, and signed agreements with the four largest unions, as well as agreements with four professional associations from Vukovar, Čakovec, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb, demonstrated how the SIDRO association successfully motivated, gathered, connected, and organized a meaningful and well-directed action. This action turned into a joint initiative whose strength and impact led the proposer of legislative changes to abandon part of the proposal, especially the part expressing the intention to abolish the provisions of the State Pedagogical Standard, an integral part of the Law on Preschool Education. We have had meetings with parliamentary clubs in the Croatian Parliament, and they are willing to present our amendments during the second reading of the Law when the time comes. SIDRO association has also increased number of membership. In the last month of project, they have gained seven new volunteers who have become actively involved in the association''s work, both in advocacy and in continuing their efforts on these issues, as well as in other activities. This long-term commitment from new volunteers is highly valuable for the organization.