Science and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs said in the eastern Croatian city of Osijek on Monday that by 2027 no school in Croatia should be working in shifts after a four-year experimental programme of all day schooling was implemented.

Fuchs made the statement while visiting a school in Osijek which is one of 62 schools included in the programme of experimental all day schooling.

During the four years of the programme and its improvement, school capacity will be expanded across the country and by 2027 all schools should be working in a single shift, the minister said.

Some schools will be expanded, additional schools and gyms will be built, and that will amount to around 1,200 infrastructure units in primary education, Fuchs said, noting that all schools will comply with the same standards with regard to classrooms, kitchens and other areas.

As for how many children school capacity would be expanded, considering the poor demographic situation, Fuchs said that it “is a painful issue, because the demographic situation in the country is bad. It would definitely be better if there were more children, but there are fewer and fewer.”

Kindergarten construction and expansion should ensure a 96% coverage of preschool children by 2029, he said.

“As for school children, I would be much happier if we could build much bigger schools already now, but we took it as our goal to equalise standards in all schools across the country and I believe we will succeed,” Fuchs said.