Several thousand secondary and primary school teachers and students gathered in central Zagreb on Saturday to draw attention to a difficult safety and financial situation in the Croatian education system.

Teachers and students demanded better safety in the classroom, a change of ineffective pedagogical practices, and asked that assaults on teachers are legally treated as assaults on public officials.

The rally was organised under the motto “For a Safe School” by two teachers’ groups and a union of teachers. Several protestors and parents said during the gathering that Croatian schools today are unsafe both for teachers and for well-behaved children who are subjected to violence by unruly students.

“We don’t want to hear any more about prevention programmes and workshops. We want those in charge to finally do what they are well paid for. We demand the status of public officials for all teachers and we want a physical assault on teachers to be treated as it is treated in all civilised countries,” said Ivan Plantic, a teacher from Vela Luka on the southern island of Korcula.

Franjo Dragicevic, a teacher at Technical Secondary School in the north-western city of Cakovec warned that schools in Croatia had become “warzones for deviants who are targeting teachers and pupils who want to learn.”

He pointed out bad regulation and school principles who do not respond to violence in order to maintain good relations with the ministry and stay in their posts.

Dragicevic was nearly dismissed from work recently after an incident in the classroom when he confronted and pushed away a student who allegedly threw pieces of chalk at him. His case triggered an avalanche of reactions from other teachers who had experienced similar situations, culminating in today’s rally.

No representatives of the Education Ministry were present at the rally. However, Education Minister Blazenka Divjak promised that an action plan aimed to prevent the violence in schools would be made.

Speaking on occasion of the Zagreb rally, Divjak expressed support to the emphasising of importance to deal with the violence issue in schools.

“However, it’s important that we are careful about the messages we send. We must remember that violence has never stamped out violence, and research proves that education and the responsibility of parents and schools, as well as the inclusion of all relevant institutions and stakeholders, are crucial in preventing the violence,” Divjak said in a press release.

She announced a meeting aimed at making a new plan for preventing the violence in schools, which would include a change to the legal framework and a support system for both teachers and parents.

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