The European Commission distinguished the Republic of Croatia as an example of a country that, despite the crisis caused by the coronavirus, successfully enabled the continuity of education in the form of distance learning.
The Union emphasised that CARNET’s e-Schools project has certainly contributed to an easier and more successful transition from the traditional way of teaching to online teaching.
By providing schools and teachers with the necessary equipment and educational tools, the e-Schools project has contributed to the professional development of teachers, improving the quality of education, and increasing the competitiveness of students in the labour market.
Ivana Mažar Marušić, a teacher at the Dragutin Tadijanović Elementary School in Vukovar – one of 151 schools that participated in the e-School pilot project – also confirmed this by saying:
“The extenuating circumstance during the organisation and planning of distance learning was certainly the IT equipment that we received after entering the e-Schools pilot project. We carried out redistribution so that each student had the conditions for distance working, and we distributed tablets to students in need. Of course, we also provided the same conditions for each teacher to work from home. The teachers received a laptop and, if necessary, a tablet, which is also part of the equipment obtained through the project. We made the first and most important step in just two days, so everything was ready for the first distance working day. Considering that most of the teachers received training in the project, the adjustment to this manner of work took only a short time, and for the students, of course, even shorter. Senior students have been using classroom equipment regularly for several years, so this did not present a problem. The younger students quickly overcome the initial obstacles, with the help of the teachers. Laptops and tablets obtained through the e-Schools pilot project proved crucial for the quality of distance learning. With CARNET’s help, equipment and organised education, we have reached a new level of education and forever changed the concept of teaching“, stated Ivana Mažar Marušić.
More information is available at the European Commission web pages.