e-Schools: Development of a System of Digitally Mature Schools (Phase II)

Systematic and regular use of state-of-the-art technology in learning and teaching, adequate infrastructure and computer equipment in all schools in Croatia, as well as numerous developed e-services for teaching and business processes, and a series of training courses for the development of digital competencies of school staff – these are just some of the advantages offered by CARNET's program. e-Schools.

The program, with the full title “e-Schools: Comprehensive Computerization of School Business Processes and Teaching Processes for the Purpose of Creating Digitally Mature Schools for the 21st Century,” began in March 2015 with a pilot project involving 151 Croatian schools. Pilot Project „e-Schools: Establishment of a System for Developing Digitally Mature Schools“ It was conducted until the end of August 2018. The main result of the pilot project is an increase in the digital maturity level of 10 percent of Croatian primary and secondary schools. 

Based on the experiences and results from the pilot program, CARNET launched the second phase of the „e-Schools: Development of a System of Digitally Mature Schools (Phase II)” program in September 2018, with a value of 1.3 billion Croatian kuna. By a decision of the Ministry of Science and Education, teaching and business processes in all state-funded schools in the Republic of Croatia will be digitally transformed by October 2023.

The general goal of the e-Schools program contributes to strengthening the capacity of the elementary and secondary education system with the aim of preparing students for the labor market, further education, and lifelong learning.

The specific goals of the e-Schools program, which will contribute to the overall goal, are:

• ensure a purposeful, reliable, and secure ICT environment tailored to the needs of schools in the Republic of Croatia
• improve the efficiency and coherence of processes in the educational system enhance digital competencies that contribute to the digital maturity of schools
• enhance strategic leadership of schools to raise their digital maturity.

The key role in schools increasing their level of digital maturity lies with principals, teachers, and other staff members who are ready to use new technologies and approaches to teaching.

In digitally mature schools, teachers use technology to enhance teaching, develop their own digital content, and provide support for independent learning and the development of critical skills in students who are at the center of the educational process. Students thus actively participate in lessons with increased motivation for learning and continuing their education, and consequently become more competitive in the labor market. The management of e-schools is efficient and transparent, and communication and exchange of e-documents between the school, its stakeholders, and the founder are significantly simpler.