February 9, 2022 - Student self-testing in Croatia should begin soon as the Ministry of Science and Education has sent instructions to principals.

How will it look?
Index.hr reports that the procedure should be as follows: The Civil Protection Headquarters will deliver rapid antigen tests to schools. Schools will then distribute the tests to parents or guardians, or students. Testing is conducted once a week by a parent, guardian, or student. If the test result is positive, information about the positive test is reported to the educational institution's selected family doctor or pediatrician.

All students with a negative result continue to attend classes regularly, and if they test positive, they do not come to school.

Testing is repeated for the entire class in which positive test results are determined the first day after a student receives a positive Covid test.

What did Fuchs say about it today?
Minister of Science and Education Radovan Fuchs commented on student self-testing in an interview with HRT today, confirming that the distribution of tests has begun.

Fuchs called the process of rapid antigen testing "a de facto process of abolishing self-isolation for students so that all those who are not ill are in school." However, he also said that this was not a step towards mandatory testing or vaccination.

Fuchs said the first part of the tests, about 300,000, went to Dalmatia yesterday.

"At the end of this or the beginning of next week, all schools will have tests available."
"Of course, we are going to the islands as a priority, as it is a bit more difficult to distribute there, and that's why we went to the Dalmatian regions first.

The rest, up to a million, arrive maybe today in civil protection warehouses, and the moment these tests are received, they immediately move on to schools. So I think by the end of the week or early next week, all schools will have tests available," Fuchs said.

“We have said that this student testing is voluntary and that parents will declare in one piece of paper whether or not they will conduct testing of their child,” he said.

What if someone refuses?
"All those who refuse, de facto, nothing will happen to them, nor the children, of course, except that the moment a positive student appears in the class, or possibly someone from that child's environment becomes ill, that child will have to go into isolation," Fuchs said.

He also said that these tests are very similar to those that can be bought in pharmacies and that, unlike PCR, it is not inserted deep into the nose with a test cotton swab or stick. Still, a swab is taken from the front of the nasal cavity, and it is a straightforward procedure.

There are no repressive measures.
Fuchs also said that parents who will not test their children and will say that they were negative will not be traced because they do not intend to apply any repressive measures.

“I hope the parents are responsible enough and won’t cheat because this is done so that the education system would virtually abolish self-isolation using a self-testing system,” he said. 

"These slogans, shouts and petitions 'We don't give our children' are quite incomprehensible; I don't understand them, no one touches children. In fact, after these two years of the pandemic, we are doing everything to give children a more normal life and attend school better," said Fuchs.

"Removing both testing and self-isolation if field data justify it."
Fuchs also said that if the number of positives dropped significantly, in February, they would switch to the testing variant only in those classes when it is ordered. It would be ordered when a positive case occurs.

"And after that, we would go for the complete abolition of both testing and self-isolation if the data from the field justify it," Fuchs said. He also said that they did not consider testing children in kindergartens.

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ZAGREB, 10 Jan 2022 -  The second semester of the 2021-2022 school year began on Monday in Croatia, with face-to-face classes in most schools, however, online classes are being organized in 24 schools this week in eight out of 20 counties due to current epidemiological developments.

Of those 24 schools, seven are in Zadar County, five in Split-Dalmatia County, and four in Šibenik-Knin County and Vukovar-Srijem County each.

The Buje-based grammar school in the Italian language is organizing mixed-type lessons.

On 7 January, Education Minister Radovan Fuchs said that primary and secondary school students accounted for 8.7% of coronavirus cases and that this was an argument in favor of schools staying open, adding that no county had requested switching to online classes.

Speaking on Croatian Television, he said not even counties with very high COVID numbers had opted for closing schools, adding that the impact of online classes "is very hard" on students.

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January the 1st, 2022 - Krizevci students have showcased their ability to come up with innovative product ideas and enter into often challenging entrepreneurial waters.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Ivan Tominac writes, with the cooperation of the Krizevci Secondary School of Economics and the Krizevci Entrepreneurship Centre, young people are also showcasing how they too can become entrepreneurs.

Investing in the applicable knowledge of young people is necessary for their growth, and this is exactly the approach taken when it comes to these talented Krizevci students.

They educate young people there for professions in the field of agriculture, and with the initiative of Professor Gorana Pavicic, the cooperation of the Krizevci Secondary School of Economics and the Krizevci Entrepreneurship Centre (KPC), young professionals are upping their chances of success in entrepreneurship.

Thanks to this initiative, fourth grade Krizevci students managed to combine their theoretical and practical knowledge, as well as improve their competencies and skills in terms of establishing and organising business and designing innovative types of agricultural products and services. The fact that these Krizevci students of this school really have entrepreneurial potential is also shown by their ideas, which are both varied and innovative.

In the second half of the year, they will continue their cooperation within the subject "Independent Management", where third grade students will independently develop business plans for the economy and the subject "The Organisation of Agricultural Production" through which they will learn the importance of different measures, incentives and tenders.

This approach, in addition to awakening entrepreneurial potential in young people, solves the big problem of financial literacy among them, too. In this way, young people gain knowledge about proper financial management, which could be a valuable input for them from the moment when they finish their high school education and get acquainted with the demanding labour market.

"If you don't have financial resources and some form of financial background, you don't have the opportunity to realise your business ideas and projects. As part of one of the courses, Krizevci students researched how to finance their business ideas, studied which banks offer which financing opportunities, whether there is any financial support or any measures that would be in line with their chosen economic activities, and there were also ideas floated about financial partnerships,'' Pavicic pointed out.

"This plan and programme exists and it should definitely be adhered to, but it's up to us professors to choose the way in which we'll implement that plan and programme. We want to bring knowledge as close as possible to the students themselves, and I think that the best way to do that is with practical classes, practical exercises and tasks, which is actually a characteristic of our school. Since we have a farming, gardening, fruit growing, cattle breeding, dairy and mechanical practicum in the school, we try to connect theory and practice as much as possible. The great thing in all this is the support of the director Toni Svoboda,'' said Pavicic.

"Expectations at the end of the high school year are certainly the ability and independence of students to start their own businesses, and judging by their dedicated, I believe that when it comes to these Krizevci students, if they decide to take on an entrepreneurial venture one day, they will certainly succeed,'' she concluded.

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December the 4th, 2021 - Huawei Technologies, in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Education and the Croatian Academic and Research Network - CARNET, has donated 100 tablets to Croatian school children. More specifically, the devices have gone to five primary schools located around Vukovar.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Lucija Spiljak writes, this donation is part of the global donation project "1000 Dreams", which Huawei is implementing across Croatia for the third year in a row. It was launched here in Croatia on the basis of signed Memoranda of Understanding between this gigantic tech company and the Central State Office of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for the Development of the Digital Society from 2019.

As part of the “1000 Dreams” project back in 2019, 200 books, picture books and 200 educational toys of various kinds were donated to the users of the Zamisli (Imagine) association, while at the beginning of this year, 320 STEM books and 80 tablets were provided for primary schools in Glina, Petrinja and the surrounding areas.

"CARNET has been working for many years on the digital transformation of the educational system and the equipment of Croatian schools with modern technology through numerous projects. Therefore, we're very happy to respond to Huawei's invitation to participate in the ''1000 Dreams'' project, which will enable students and teachers to take advantage of the benefits of information and communication technology and gain new knowledge and skills,'' said Hrvoje Puljiz, Director of CARNET.

Representatives of Huawei visited schools and Croatian school children and handed over the tablets to the principals of the schools.

"Children and young people are the most important social group that we at Huawei are particularly focused on. We believe that in today's world, access to digital technology is a prerequisite for their development and we're extremely pleased that through such donations we can contribute to building a better future. In addition to raising the quality of teaching, we hope that our tablets will have a positive impact on directing young people towards the further discovery of modern digital technologies and opportunities that open up to us,'' added Kevin Zhang Qiming, the CEO of Huawei Technologies Croatia.

The "1000 Dreams" project is otherwise a five-year cooperation programme during which Huawei will continuously work to improve the digital skills of young people in Central and Eastern Europe and encourage them to find a passion for science and engage in research.

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November the 25th, 2021 - With stories now becoming more and more common in which people are dismissed or suspended without payment due to not presenting a valid covid certificate or refusing to regularly test, are covid certificate related dismissals set to come to the Croatian education system as well? It seems so.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, at the beginning of December this year, the first extraordinary dismissals can be expected in the Croatian education system for those employees who haven't been vaccinated and are refusing coronavirus testing, announced the president of the union Zeljko Stipic, emphasising that this week, the first warnings were handed out to teachers without covid certificates.

"The first warnings have been issued. There haven't been too many of them, and we'll know how many exactly there have been when we collect all the data. What we currently know is that there are about fifty of our members who didn't want to be vaccinated or get tested, but this doesn't represent the number of those people who received warnings, because in the meantime there were those who changed their minds. Either they got vaccinated, or they agreed to be tested,'' Stipic said.

There are also those, he added, who asked for unpaid leave due to their decision not to be tested or vaccinated, and the school principals approved it, there are also those who decided to use their sick leave.

"According to the proposal of the competent Ministry, an employee who doesn't present the a covid certificate is issued with a warning first, and then comes the second warning. The second warning comes after an employee fails to present a covid certificate or test result within a period of seven days, and if they've failed to justify their absence from the classroom in another acceptable way. In that same second warning, the school principal issues a warning before initiating the procedure of extraordinary termination of that person's employment contract,'' explained Stipic.

The fact that the first warnings began to be handed out to those working within the Croatian education system has also been confirmed by the president of the Association of High School Principals, Suzana Hitrec, as Novi list reported.

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November the 14th, 2021 - As the scope of the use of Croatian covid certificates gradually begins to widen, parents visiting their childrens' schools for parents' evenings will also need to be in possession of Croatian covid certificates.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, all public sector employees, as well as all people who need their services for whatever reason, will need to have proof of them having previously contrated and recovered from the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 or a recently obtained negative test result as of next week.

The decision on the measure should be published, after which - in the case of the system of education and science - the competent ministry will send out a decision to all kindergartens, schools, faculties and scientific institutes with additional clarifications and information for those in charge. The responsibility for organising everything to be in line with these new epidemiological measures will have to be taken over by the heads of the institutions, directors, or deans.

As Jutarnji list has since unofficially found out, parents will not be exempted from the need to present Croatian covid certificates or a negative test result upon arrival at school. Although it was previously announced that parents of students will not be covered by the measure, the new plan - as advocated by school staff - is that in case of coming to school for information, parents' evenings or any other long stay inside the school, parents or guardians must present evidence of their recovery, full vaccination, or a negative test result.

In the case of a short stay at school, for example, due to the accompaniment of a child with disabilities, they will not need to present Croatian covid certificates.

The exception will be parents who are bringing and taking their children out of kindergarten. According to current announcements, they will not have to have Croatian covid certificates either.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

November 9, 2021 - Minister of Science and Education, Radovan Fuchs said that the Ministry of Science and Education is currently agreeing on a mechanism and method of testing for COVID in the education system, three options are being considered for testing teachers, and the exact method of testing will be known by Friday.

"A testing variant will be introduced for all who need to be tested. So, those who have covid-certificates will show certificates and will not need to be tested," the minister said.

The mechanism and method of testing are currently being agreed upon, and there are three options on the table, said Fuchs, testing teachers in authorized institutions, such as laboratories, testing in schools, and the possibility of self-testing, reports Index.hr.

"We will know by Friday, after taking into account all the pros and cons in terms of the possible and most effective. We will define and write this in the decision, as well as the decision to act and test in health facilities," Fuchs told reporters on the eve of the sessions of the National Council for Monitoring the Implementation of the Anti-Corruption Strategy.

It's about 120,000 people

He noted that this is a total of 120,000 people, when kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and the higher education system are taken into account, and in the primary and secondary education system itself there are slightly less than 60,000 employees.

"If 45 percent of them are unvaccinated, and I don't know exactly how many got over it, then we're talking about testing about 30,000 people. That's not so little'', he noted. 

It must be taken into account, he added, that testing teachers should be done every two days, but also that it should be done before the teacher enters the classroom and starts teaching.

"It's not quite simple, but we intend to write it all down in the instructions so that there aren't too many problems," Fuchs pointed out.

He also said that testing of children is not being considered at the moment, but that it will be considered if necessary.

“Teachers are certainly responsible people,” he pointed out. "I don't think they'll just go by the 'I really care about my students and my kids' system. I believe most of them will, if necessary, conduct rapid antigen tests," he added.

Boras: The University will respect the decisions of the Headquarters

Rector of the University of Zagreb Damir Boras pointed out that the University cooperates well with the Civil Protection Headquarters and that it will "always strictly adhere to things concerning COVID", noting that the University can make an autonomous decision on the introduction of covid certificates.

The university has its own headquarters which is currently sitting and considering the possibility of introducing covid-certificates. "In any case, we must protect ourselves and we will respect the decisions of the Headquarters. So, there will either be covid-certificates, or vaccination certificates or prescribed testing," the rector said.

"My personal opinion is that everyone should be vaccinated. Of course, I accept that there is a right of people not to be vaccinated, but some categories of employees, professionals, no longer have that right. I would say, for example, that medical professionals made their decision when they started practicing medicine and since then they have to respect the profession, "Boras told reporters.

Asked whether the University will give a stronger recommendation than before, Boras replied that the University has already given a strong recommendation, and it is to respect the decisions of the State Staff, which, he reiterated, communicates excellently and daily with members of the University Staff. The university was founded before the state ".

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November the 8th, 2021 - The Croatian Public Health Institute has published the latest detailed guidelines for schools as infection numbers soar and attempts are made with various new measures and ramped up vaccination to slow the spread and the pressure on the healthcare system.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ/CNIPH) and the Ministry of Science and Education have published detailed and updated instructions on the use of masks in primary and secondary schools for students, school and kindergarten staff and other adults during their stay there, to try to prevent and control the currently rapid spread of the novel coronavirus.

The updated instructions state in which situations protective masks are mandatory: for students from fifth grade of primary school onwards throughout their stay in school and during their stay in the classroom, even in the case of an institution where there is a gap (social distancing) ensured in classrooms between all persons (students, teachers, etc.) larger than 1.5 metres.

In addition to the above, masks are mandatory for high school students during their entire stay on school premises and during their time in the classroom, even when it comes to an institution where the distance in classrooms between all persons (students, teachers, etc.) is greater than two metres.

Masks are also mandatory for teachers and all other staff working in schools and kindergartens, as well as parents and other adults during any time spent in the school building and in kindergartens, as well as during any time spent in the classroom or with an educational group.

Exceptionally, vaccinated primary school teachers, as well as primary school teachers who have recovered from coronavirus in the past 12 months, don't need to wear a mask when in their own classroom or with their own educational group if they don't wish to.

For students from the first to the fourth grade of primary school (including the fourth grade) when passing through common areas or when in all situations of a shorter duration when students of one grade mix with students of another grade, they don't need to wear a mask if they don't wish to.

Classroom seating arrangements also need to be arranged to achieve the widest possible distance between students.

Early years and preschool children, as well as students with disabilities who are undertaking special programmes, don't need to wear protective masks.

Only a student and an employee whose individual state of health makes this impossible can be exempted from the obligation to wear a mask when at school, and the above is determined by the competent school doctor for the student or the family doctor (GP) for the employee.

Masks don't need to be worn during physical education (PE) and other similar health classes, nor do they need to be worn during other forms of physical activity and during meals, according to updated instructions published on November the 5th on the Croatian Public Health Institute's website.

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ZAGREB, 25 Oct 2021 - At the moment 3,820 students and 554 teachers are positive for coronavirus, a decision to switch to online classes can be made by local authorities in cooperation with county COVID-19 response teams, and for now the education ministry does not plan to change the school year calendar.

The calendar is defined by the decision adopted in late April, regarding the start and end of the school year, the number of working days and the duration of school breaks, the ministry told Hina on Monday.

At the moment 2,226 primary and 1,594 secondary school students are positive for coronavirus.

Zagreb accounts for the majority of those infected with 660 primary and 480 secondary school students, while Lika-Senj County accounts for the fewest - 24 in primary and four in secondary schools.

As for positive teachers, most are in Zagreb, 134, and the fewest in Požega-Slavonia County, five.

Also, 6,743 primary and 3,372 secondary school students are self-isolating, the largest number in Zagreb, 3,569, and the smallest in Krapina-Zagorje County, 14.

There are also 159 school employees in self-isolation, most in Zagreb, 41, and least in Požega-Slavonia, Koprivnica-Križevci and Vukovar-Srijem counties with one in each.

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October the 1st, 2021 - Croatian school pupils will more than likely be taking advantage of free train transport (which is intended for primary and secondary school students), but it will in fact only be used by a very small amount of kids.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, the Association of Croatian Bus Lines (UHAJLP) welcomed the introduction of free train transport for primary and secondary Croatian school pupils, but also warned that such a form of transport will ultimately be used by only a small percentage of students.

Namely, in the explanation of its decision on the introduction of free transport by Croatian Railways (HZ), the Croatian Government pointed out that it will be able to be used by about 780,000 children and students of primary and secondary schools throughout the Republic of Croatia, but this mode of transport is hardly the most popular.

While most Croatian school pupils live close enough to their schools to simply walk there from home, others arrive by bus, are driven there by their parents, or catch trams in Zagreb, trains are far from popular. In fact, transportation for daily commuting to school will be used by a mere 10 to 15 percent of Croatian school pupils who just happen to be living right next to the railway tracks.

“The basis for the introduction of free transport by HZ Putnicki prijevoz (HZ passenger transport) is the so-called the concept of a public service on the basis of which this carrier receives over 450 million kuna a year from the state and is an additional pilot project of the competent ministry, which will pay out an additional 30 million kuna to this publicly owned company over the next fifteen months.

Although there are of course legal preconditions to take into consideration, as well as obligations derived from European Union directives, this public service is not paid to entrepreneurs who transport students, workers and other passengers by bus on routes that are generally not economically viable, but only to state companies such as HZ or Jadrolinija,'' they stated from UHAJLP.

Commenting on the recent decision of Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic, Hrvoje Mestrovic, president of the Association of Croatian Bus Public Line Carriers, pointed out that out of the total number of primary and secondary school students, HZ transports a maximum of 15 percent per year, which is hardly a huge amount of kids.

Slightly more than a third of those Croatian school pupils are located in cities that have some form of public city transport which is also covered by public services, while half of the students depend exclusively on public line bus carriers, explained Mestrovic.

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