New school year has begun, new curricula in vocational schools

The new school year has begun for elementary and secondary school students. Out of a little over 440,000 students, 36,000 are sitting at school desks for the first time. The new school year also brings some new features. In some schools, students will be without mobile phones for the first time. But the biggest new feature is the introduction of modular teaching in vocational schools.

The children are excited; some will meet new friends, and some are looking forward to seeing familiar classmates, while parents are also excited too.

Almost 19,000 elementary school students and 10,000 high school students have sat down at desks in Osijek-Baranja County. The new school year brings some new features, one of which is teaching without mobile phones.

“Our stance in this is always clear; the place for mobile phones is not in schools. We don't have a special decision by which we will ban them, but through the parent's council I always warn that the first and only ban is for parents not to send their children to school,” said the Principal of the Retfala Elementary School Igor Kopić.

He adds that the school has been approved for two security officers.

“They are at the door from the first day of school. We requested two guards or security staff,” he said.

But the biggest news this school year is the introduction of modular teaching for 147 new vocational occupations.

“The characteristic of modular teaching is cooperation between all teachers, meaning connecting of modules, connecting of learning groups, and what is very important, learning from experience,” said the Principal of Zabok Secondary School Draženka Jurec.

As usual, unions are skeptical.

“We have never said in a single statement that we are against modular teaching, an analysis was not conducted to see what is good in this and what not,” said the President of the "Preporod" Trade Union Željko Stipić.

In the new school year, students and teachers can expect a new holiday schedule. The first semester lasts until December 23rd, and the second - from January 12 to June 12 of next year. Classes for high school graduates will end on May 22nd.

Source: HRT