President Milanović Meets with Alliance of Educational Rehabilitators of Croatia Delegation
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović met in his Office with a delegation of the Alliance of Educational Rehabilitators of Croatia, a professional union representing educational rehabilitation associations from across the country.
The President of the Alliance of Educational Rehabilitators of Croatia Antun Zupanc and the President of the Croatian Chamber of Educational Rehabilitators Zlatko Bukvić acquainted President Milanović with the main activities of the Alliance and its members. Educational rehabilitators provide educational and rehabilitation services to children with developmental and physical disabilities in mainstream and special schools and in social care centres, social welfare facilities and healthcare institutions.
The main activities of the Alliance include providing coordination and assistance to associations of educational rehabilitators vis-à-vis their organization and operations and the development of their ethical and humane efforts, as well as assistance to other experts working with individuals who are struggling to integrate socially. Members of the Alliance said they are helping organize professional and scientific activities of educational rehabilitators and other experts, initiate and support research and establish cooperation with other such groups at home and abroad. Furthermore, the Alliance examines and monitors educational and rehabilitation issues and offers proposals on how to fix them. It also initiates the development and implementation of new programmes and ideas for working with people who are finding it hard to integrate.
Members of the Alliance acquainted the President of the Republic with the issues their organization faces and singled out the shortage of educational rehabilitation experts as the most pressing. They claimed there is great interest for the study course, but said that the student enrolment quotas are low and insufficient, resulting in a shortage of experts. The delegation members also view the omission of the programme of education of children with developmental disabilities from curricular reform as an issue, which they hope will be resolved during talks with the competent ministry.
Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education Jadranka Žarković took part in the meeting alongside President Milanović.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek