President Milanović on World Teachers’ Day: Teachers must guide, change pupils

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended a special ceremony at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Teacher Education on the occasion of marking Faculty of Teacher Education Day and World Teachers’ Day.

“Today, you have your Faculty. Look after it,” President Milanović told the professors of the Faculty of Teacher Education, calling on them to strive for a high level of excellence. “We, as a nation, must strive for a high excellence level, for that is what makes a nation successful,” said President Milanović, adding that both the process of child-rearing and our society have changed through the generations.

“A balance in the boys vs. girls ratio needs to be found, for it is very important for the functioning of the nation. I believe in a free individual, in the right to choose. I am aware that at some point the state will no longer have an absolute monopoly over education, and here I am not referring to higher education that should be public as much as possible. But primary education – this generation of kids who are now coming of age, maturing and starting out in life – will start experimenting with some other forms of education,” said President Milanović, adding that “new generations are different and they will pass this on to their children.”

“Croatian education has played a tremendous role. Your task and our task is to achieve a high level (of excellence), to work with the talented. Those who want more will always manage and move forward. The rest need stability, security, faith and hope. Teachers must guide and change,” President Milanović concluded.

Apart from President Milanović, the following persons also gave speeches at the ceremony held on the occasion of Faculty of Teacher Education Day and World Teachers’ Day: Dean of the Faculty of Teacher Education Siniša Opić; Rector of the University of Zagreb Damir Boras; State Secretary at the Ministry of Science and Education and envoy of the Prime Minister Ivica Šušak; Chair of the Education, Science and Culture Parliamentary Committee and envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Vesna Bedeković. Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education Jadranka Žarković was alongside President Milanović.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas